1 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。

Never Too Old to Shine

When Wang Deshun showed on the stage as a male model in his late 70s, many thought he had reached his apex (顶点). However, the 85-year-old showed them he's still flying.

The white-bearded Wang took flight in Beijing Miyun District in a SW100 light aircraft on Aug 17, 2021. During the course of the flight, he completed turns and climbs on his own, becoming the oldest person to undertake flight training in China.

His physical stats proved enough to apply for a flight license due to his many years of exercise. At Miyun Airport in Beijing, he was guided by a professional team that made a training plan for him.

“I've been dreaming of flying for more than 50 years so I thought I should learn. I thought I could do this," Wang said.

This is not the first time Wang has wowed (使喝彩) his fellow Chinese citizens. Born in a rural family in Shengyang，Liaoning Province in 1936, Wang started to work as a bus conductor and then a factory worker. In 1960, he became a stage actor and appeared in bit parts in films such as Brave Journey to Northeast and Miss Granny.

Wang continued to challenge himself throughout his life. At 44 he learned English, and at 50 he began fitness training. He learnt to ride a horse at 65, to ride a motorcycle at 78, and hit the catwalk at 79, when he took part in Beijing Fashion Week and rose to social media fame. Walking down the catwalk completely shirtless, he wowed audiences and was nicknamed "China's hottest grandpa".

"It's never too old to have your dream," he said. "Age has never been a problem. Just do it."

1. What did Wang Deshun do on Aug 17, 2021?
2. What was Wang's first job in his life?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Wang challenged himself throughout his life, for he was nicknamed "China's hottest grandpa".
4. Have you ever challenged yourself? Please give an example. (In about 40 words)

2 .

As college sports continue to be hugely popular and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) brings in large amounts of money, people have restarted the debate on whether college athletes should get paid.

Supporters of the idea believe that, because college athletes are bringing in audiences, they should receive some sort of compensation (补偿). In fact, the NCAA brings in about $1 billion income a year, but college athletes don’t receive any of that money in the form of a paycheck. Additionally, people who believe college athletes should be paid state that paying college athletes will actually encourage them to remain in college longer and not turn professionals as quickly, either by giving them a way to begin earning money in college or requiring them to sign a contract (合同) saying they’ll stay at the university for a certain number of years while making an agreed-upon salary.

People who argue against the idea of paying college athletes believe the practice could be disastrous for college sports. Paying athletes would turn college sports into a bidding (竞拍) war, where only the richest schools could afford top athletes, and most schools would be shut out from developing a talented team. It could also harm the camaraderie within many college teams if players become unhappy that certain teammates are making more money than they are.

Those against paying college athletes also believe that the athletes are receiving enough benefits already. The top athletes receive scholarships that are worth tens of thousands per year. They receive free food and textbooks, get travel bonuses and free equipment, and can use their time in college as a way to attract the attention of professional coaches. No other college students receive anywhere near as much from their schools.

While both sides have good points, it’s clear that the negatives of paying college athletes far outweigh the positives. College athletes have been compensated enough. Adding a salary would result in a college athletic system where only a few athletes are paid by some schools who enter bidding wars to sign them up, while most student athletics and college athletic programs suffer or even shut down for lack of money. Continuing to offer the present benefits to student athletes makes it possible for as many people to benefit from and enjoy college sports as possible.

1. It can be learned from Paragraph 2 that college athletes ________.

A．have earned what they are promised

B．tend to serve college longer when paid

C．should sign a contract to make an agreed-upon salary

D．prefer to stay at university rather than turn professionals

2. The underlined word “camaraderie” in Paragraph 3 is similar to “________”.

A．friendship

B．competition

C．spirit

D．communication

3. People against paying college athletes believe ________.

A．schools would be unable to afford it

B．it could be harmful to college sports

C．no other college students receive benefits

D．students would value payments over achievements

4. What is the author’s attitude towards paying college athletes?

A．Uncertain.

B．Satisfied.

C．Unsupportive.

D．Expectant.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Many of us like to think our dogs are smart, as we point to their ability    1    (read) our facial expressions and understand    2    we say. But some dogs are    3    (except). Chaser,    4    American border collie could recognize and remember 1,022 nouns — one for each of her    5    (toy).

The scientists recruited dog owners and asked them to play fetch with their dogs    6    (day) in their homes while    7    (repeat) the name of the toy, a process    8     lasted three months. Dogs that succeeded    9    (give) a new toy and new name to learn. Despite the intensive training, only one dog, Oliva, learned to match a single word to a toy. In fact, she learned 21 names in two months. It’s    10    (interest) that except Oliva, none of the breeds learned a thing. It was such a surprise.

6 . Life has a way of shaping us. Life can make you doubt or question your purpose.    1    . I have seen this in my own life.

Poetry prepared me for my purpose. I did not see this initially, so I tried taking a different direction.    2    . I finally left behind my failures and fully launched into my destiny.

In my journey towards purpose, poetry became my safety net. Poetry was my outlet from bullying by peers, which gave me low self-esteem.    3    . For every important moment in my life, I wrote poetry. During tough times, I wrote poetry. I connect with poetry on a deep level.

However, writing poetry lacks financial stability.    4    . In America, I was an assistant teacher for kindergarten. When living in China, my job was an English teacher. The work I did was similar. I inspired children, giving them my love, my time and my heart. Still, poetry brought me joy.    5    .

Where you are is preparing you for your purpose. Your purpose is waiting for you!

A．I pursued teaching instead

B．I started writing poems at age 5

C．My original plan never worked out

D．The only person standing in your way is you

E．It showed me how to make sense of the world

F．Poetry is my voice to be seen, heard and known

G．However, when you live out your purpose, you are unstoppable

7 . Many of us think of sharks as powerful, mysterious, and lonely as they move through the deep. And nowonder the fish have long been portrayed in popular media as lone predators, appearing out of nowhere to attack. But that image has come under inspection in recent years, as shark researchers around the world have discovered the fish gathering in large numbers and interacting with others of their own species in ways that are obviously friendly.

Yannis Papastamatiou, a marine scientist at Florida International University, and his team used acoustic transmitters to record the interactions over four years of about 40 reef sharks around Hawaii. Their study found that reef sharks return to the same communities year after year, forming clear preferences for sharks with some friendships that endured throughout the study. In his 2016 study, he found that individual sharks tagged with recording devices had thousands of interactions with their peers, with some pairs spending up to four straight days together. The study also found certain sharks were unmistakably companions. “These weren’t random associations,” he says.

Finding out why sharks socialize — and how much of their behavior is cooperative — is a challenge, but there are some clues, such as food availability and warmer waters. Great white sharks, are showing up in record numbers along southern California beaches as the population has doubled since 1994. While great white sharks typically maintain distances of about 30 feet from each other and don’t seem too close, they are clearly drawn together by a preference for the area. In some cases, there may not be an obvious purpose for shark’s friendship. At the Bimini Shark Lab, Smukall and his colleagues found that young lemon sharks sought out companionship of other sharks for no clear reason. There’s growing evidence that lemon sharks have their own personalities, which may influence whether they spend time with other sharks, he adds.

More would be known about the intimate lives of sharks if the field weren’t so new, due in part to a lack of funding and sharks’ negative reputation. “We’ve only had about 20 years to really start studying sharks,” says Smukall.

1. Why do the reef sharks return to the same groups every year?

A．To move to other places together.	B．To find a better place to lay eggs.
C．To change the food chain of the sea.	D．To search for the company of other fish.

2. Which of the following is NOT the reason why sharks socialize?

A．Global Warming.	B．Preference for an area.
C．Sharks’ personalities.	D．Food availability.

3. What can be found according to Yannis’s 2016 study?

A．Sharks usually spend four days with their peers.

B．The relationship between some sharks is steady.

C．All the sharks were attached to recording devices.

D．Sharks have thousands of interactions every day.

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．Sharks always have a bad reputation.

B．Scientist will begin studying sharks in 20 years.

C．There will be a long way to go before knowing sharks completely.

D．It is unnecessary to put money into the research of the sharks.

8 . Back in the 1980s, Motorola introduced the first cell phones to public. They were very large compared to most phones of today. Given the heavy weight of the early phones, which was about 2 pounds (0.91kg), their considerable size, and rectangular shape, they earned the amusing name “brick phone.”

The brick phone was a major status symbol corresponding to the tendency toward prominent consumption that marked the decade. Unfortunately, it was nowhere near as convenient as present cell phone models. For the money people paid, they got 30 minutes of talking time before recharging the phone was necessary, and carrying around a heavy phone that was 8 inches (20.32 cm) long and about 2 inches wide (5.08 cm) was no picnic for some early users.

While some view the old-fashioned cell phone as a clunky nouveau riche and unfortunate parent of the modern cell phone, others regard it with affection. A nice, big phone that is easy to find, unlike the very small modern cell that is often easy to lose, may be regarded as a useful alternative. This sentiment has led some companies to reinvent the brick phone. One advantage with a modern brick cell is it may hold a much longer charge than the standard cell since it accommodates a larger and more powerful battery. As mentioned, some are particularly interested in this style because they want a good-sized home phone after they’ve abandoned a landline, which is becoming common practice. A longer charge might make a phone more attractive for home use.

The chances are that brick phones will remain mostly a novelty purchase because most people prefer the convenience of much smaller phones. Nevertheless, the sight of a brick in use today, even if a copy, is still likely to cause comment or memories. Whether these memories are mostly fond or rather snide, it can certainly be said that this phone was a symbol and part of the reason why so many people carry cell phones today.

1. What feature does the name “brick phone” reflect?

A．Its function.

B．Its appearance.

C．Its technology.

D．Its price.

2. What does Paragraph 2 mainly talk about?

A．The brick phone has some drawbacks.

B．The brick phone stands for high status.

C．People pursued a high-level consumption in the past.

D．The battery of the brick phone can only last 30 minutes.

3. Why do many people favor the modern brick phone?

A．It has a good size.	B．It has some new features.
C．It is cheaper than other phones.	D．It can be used for a longer time.

4. What does the underlined word in Paragraph 4 mean?

A．Valuable.

B．Unfavorable.

C．Amusing.

D．Vivid.

9 . At a medical laboratory clinic in Waterloo, Ontario, an elderly woman sat on the edge of a waiting room chair loudly singing out the Celine Dion’s tune My Heart Will Go On. I was there with my father, who was getting a routine blood test when the woman arrived. She settled into the seat directly across from my dad. The position made it seem as though she was sitting forward to engage in conversation with him. She smiled at him, and he smiled back.

I was concerned about how my dad would react to the possible interact on his space. He was 77 at the time and had been living with Alzheimer’s for several years. He was a brilliant introverted man. When he was healthy, he considered it wholly bad manners to bring undue attention to oneself. I couldn’t help but think that this melodic little woman was playing with fire.

Her singing began gently, like a quiet hum. I glanced over at dad. His smile was gone, and he was staring right at her. She was staring back. I couldn’t read his expression, but it seemed to be something like confusion.This wasn’t an unusual state for him, and I wondered whether he was actually seeing her at all or if he was lost somewhere deep in his mind, not really aware of her presence at that point. Or maybe he was trying to establish whether this was someone he should know. Her singing slowly got louder. By the time she got to the chorus — “Near, far, wherever you are…”, dad looked a little shocked. Still, I watched for any sign of an annoyed outburst. Instead, his face softened, and the tension eased in his brow. He no longer looked confused.

People say that Alzheimer’s is a thief, which it steals your loved ones slowly, day by day. There is so much heartbreaking truth in that statement. But certain experiences with my dad have allowed me to see a side of him that I never knew existed. In an unexpected way, that’s what happened to me that day in the clinic. When her song ended and the waiting room became silent, the woman opened her eyes. My dad was still looking directly at her. “That was beautiful,” he said. And she smiled and said, “Thank you.”

1. Why did the author’s father appear in the clinic?

A．To get a physical examination.	B．To ask for advice from the doctors.
C．To search for a cure for his disease.	D．To enjoy the song sung by an elderly woman.

2. Why did the author think the elderly woman was playing with fire?

A．She considered the old woman’s song as beautiful.

B．She believed the old woman would become famous.

C．She thought the old woman’s voice would attract others.

D．She assumed her father would get angry with the old woman.

3. What was the reaction of the author’s father when the song ended?

A．He was annoyed at it.	B．He was stuck to confusion.
C．He was excited to hear it.	D．He thought highly of it.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Alzheimer’s is a thief.	B．A beautiful singing from an old lady.
C．An unexpected reaction from my father.	D．Some heartbreaking truths about Alzheimer’s.

10 . You won’t need a passport for this trip around the globe, but you will need your favorite bookstore or library card. Reading stories from or set in other parts of the world is fun and helps kids appreciate other cultures. Go on a virtual vacation with these global reads. If you don’t know where to start, I’ve made a list of some of my favorites.

Sand Swimmers

by Narelle Oliver

Young wildlife enthusiasts know that Australia is full of fascinating creatures, especially in the strange and harsh desert region called the Dead Heart. In Sand Swimmers, Narelle Oliver combines science, natural history, and firsthand observations to uncover the unbelievably hardy species that live and thrive in this mysterious piece of Australian wilderness.

The Secret Kingdom

by Barb Rosenstock

The Secret Kingdom is a visually impressive biography of Nek Chand Saini, a village farmer who relocated to the city of Chandigarh after the 1947 partition of India. There, he gathered castoffs and small treasures to create a secret rock garden in the jungle — now a 40-acre sculpture garden open to the public. Rich watercolor illustrations capture the region’s natural beauty.

When Life Gives You Mangos

by Kereen Getten

A moving new middle grade novel, When Life Gives You Mangos centers the perspective of a young girl named Clara who lives on an island in Jamaica, a favorite place for tourists who throw around words like “exotic” about Clara’s home. Since last summer’s hurricane, though, the tourists are thinning out, and the biggest talk is about a new girl who’s moving to the island, whom Clara can’t wait to meet. A moving story about family, friendship, and resilience, it will also spark important conversations about traveling to others’ homes.

The Island of Horses

by Eilís Dillon

This classic adventure story, reissued in 2018, takes place off the western coast of Ireland on an island called Inishrone. Life on the remote island is anything but easy, but it’s all that friends Pat Conroy and Danny MacDonagh have ever known. Lured by the call of ghost stories, Pat and Danny set sail for the Island of Horses, a decision that launches them into a dangerous mystery. Come for the suspense, stay for the atmosphere: you’ll be able to taste the saltwater whipping through the air.

1. Which book has the related pictures inside?

A．Sand Swimmers.	B．The Secret Kingdom.
C．When Life Gives You Mangos.	D．The Island of Horses.

2. What effect does the hurricane bring about according to When Life Gives You Mangos?

A．Clara’s home was destroyed.	B．new girl will move to the island.
C．The number of visitors is shrinking.	D．onversations about traveling will be sparked.

3. Which of the following is True about The Island of Horses?

A．The book was first published in 2018.	B．The story is set on the coast of Ireland.
C．Life is hard on the remote island.	D．Pat and Danny went to the Island of Horses to look for treasures.