1 . Taylor Swift showed very early promise as a singer of country songs, performing from the age of nine. She learned the guitar and persuaded her family to move to Tennessee so she could further her career. She holds numerous records for achievements in music, has been named among the top 100 most influential people on more than one occasion and was named as Woman of the Decade and Artist of the Decade in the 2010s. Swift’s musical style has evolved from country to pop and her fans number in the millions.

Taylor Swift has a firm belief that we should all be ourselves. She tempers this by saying that we must be respectful of others, honest and strong-willed. Strength of purpose will carry a person through life and see them achieve great things. Do not, she says, be average. Stand out and be the best person that you can.

Her view of life is simple. We each have one life, and we must make sure we do not waste it. Life is there to be enjoyed and to be fulfilled. Only we can control what happens in our lives, and must not allow others to judge us or create false opinions of us.

To live a life that has meaning, we must be prepared to learn from mistakes and failures and deal with them without getting discouraged or distracted from our path. No one should tell you what you can’t do, and you must not let a mistake tell you that either. When someone tries to stop you from doing something, be eager to prove them wrong. Be keen, too, to show that your mistakes won’t hold you back.

Taylor Swift puts great store in happiness. Seeking happiness is a wonderful ambition, and everyone should see it as an aim. Success without happiness is a meaningless achievement. Aiming for happiness can go along with other goals too. Swift doesn’t rest when she has achieved one goal, but picks up another and pursues that with the same vigor and determination.

1. What can we learn from paragraph 1?

A．She moved to Tennessee to get a degree.

B．She has been named among the top 100 most influential people once.

C．Her musical style is single.

D．She has had a talent in music since childhood.

2. In the following statements, which one will Taylor Swift NOT agree with ?

A．We should accept that we are only ordinary people.

B．We are masters of our life.

C．Never let mistakes block our moving-forward way.

D．Without happiness, success equals zero.

3. Which words can best describe Taylor Swift?

A．Patient and passionate	B．Positive and ambitious
C．Hard-working and optimistic	D．Intelligent and humorous

4. Which is the text mainly about?

A．A brief introduction to Taylor Swift.	B．Taylor Swift’s autobiography.
C．Taylor Swift’s influence.	D．Taylor Swift’s childhood and dream.

2 . Here are some interesting places for you to enjoy yourself while you are staying in Beijing.

Here is the timetable of science activities in the Children’s Palace

Timetable
Monday (4 weeks) 19:00 — 21:30 Space and Man Dr. Thomas West. Would you     like to know more about the outer space?	Tuesday (5 weeks) 18:30—20:30 Photography Mr. Brown from Italy. Learn   to take good pictures, please bring your own camera.	Wednesday ( 12 weeks) 18:30 — 21:00 Computer Science Prof. Harry Morison from Oxford University. Learn how to use Windows 2000.
Thursday (4 weeks) 19:00 — 21:00 Modern Medicine Prof Lucy Green. Would you like to know medical advances?	Saturday ( 16 weeks) 14:00 — 17:00 Technical English Prof. Rose Beet. Do you want     to learn the technical words and articles?	Sunday (2 weeks) 8:30 — 11:30 Exhibition of Personal Inventions You can see many inventions by the students; you may also bring your own inventions.

1. The teacher who teaches photography is from ______.

A．China

B．Italy

C．America

D．England

2. The computer science class may last for about ________.

A．4 weeks

B．16 weeks

C．5 weeks

D．12 weeks

3. If you want to learn technical English, you should go to the Children’s Palace on ______.

A．Sunday

B．Saturday

C．Thursday

D．Wednesday

3 . Jenny lived in a small village. When she was a child, what she liked to do most was to watch the blue sky and enjoy birds flying freely in the sky. She always ______that some day she could also fly like a bird.

When Jenny was in the fourth grade, her teacher asked them to write a passage about their ______. In it, she wrote that she wanted to become an airplane pilot in the future. However, to her surprise, her paper came back with an “F” on it. The teacher told her it was nothing but fairy tale which could never become true. Jenny felt ______and sad. In her heart, she didn’t want to ______her teacher’s opinion. Why was it impossible? But the people______Jenny didn’t   support her and told her over and over again, “Girls can’t become pilots; never have, and never will. You’re______.” Finally, Jenny felt hopeless and ______her dream.

Jenny was in the senior high school several ______later. One day her English teacher, Mrs. Slaton, gave the class a ______about what they would be doing in the future. Jenny thought hard about it, “Pilot? No way! Artist? No talent! Waitress? I can do it.”_______she wrote it down. What Jenny wrote surprised Mrs.Slaton, “Is that what you are really interested in? I think you will be ______to do something full of more challenges.” Jenny felt excited, but she was still ______that she would be laughed at again. The teacher continued, “Everyone has their own talent. If you don’t go for your dream,______will do it for you.” Hearing that, with great courage she wrote down her old dream.

Mrs.Slaton’s words ______Jenny a lot. After ten years of hard work, Jenny’s dream came true. She became one of the first three women ______in the world. Stick to your dream if it’s what you really want!

1.

A．imagined

B．realized

C．agreed

D．suggested

2.

A．interests

B．dreams

C．families

D．hobbies

3.

A．tired

B．nervous

C．stupid

D．disappointed

4.

A．learn

B．accept

C．show

D．discuss

5.

A．with

B．including

C．around

D．except

6.

A．crazy

B．brave

C．clever

D．strong

7.

A．sent up

B．gave up

C．put up

D．made up

8.

A．days

B．weeks

C．months

D．years

9.

A．suggestion

B．notice

C．present

D．task

10.

A．Before

B．Though

C．Unless

D．So

11.

A．able

B．glad

C．ready

D．relaxed

12.

A．thankful

B．excited

C．worried

D．regretful

13.

A．nobody

B．somebody

C．anybody

D．everybody

14.

A．praised

B．encouraged

C．required

D．punished

15.

A．artists

B．waitresses

C．pilots

D．teachers

4 . In a recent email to an old friend, I mentioned that our family planned on taking our four­week road trip in our motor home. My friend emailed back and said he thought I was very “brave” to set out on such an adventure with two young children (aged two and five). I laughed when I read his email and wondered if he knew how much he was missing out on by giving up the idea of such a fun RV trip (房车旅) with one’s family.

My husband and I have been “RVing” for over ten years. When we first started traveling, we certainly had some troubles that were not so funny at the time but seem to be funny now. We forgot our pillows and failed to cook dinner on an outdoor grill (烤架) for lack of a flashlight. Then we decided to make our dinner in the motor home but could not get the oven lit! So we went to bed a little hungrier than we had planned!

However, that's nothing compared with the amazing geological and natural wonders we experienced during our RV trips. In addition, we have discovered a new world of family fun and family bonding. We saw the Grand Canyon when our son was only six months old. We play games inside and out, walk together, talk together, read, solve puzzles, and enjoy music and movies. We have got used to doing things with one another. Our kids love to pick out good, old­fashioned postcards to send off via “snail mail” to different family members on every trip.

As our world gets more and more overloaded with cell phones, texting, emails and video games, our family sticks more and more tightly to the wonderfully simple idea of unplugging for a while and jumping into the seat to take a trip in our motor home. Then we come home with fun pictures of our wanderings, and we're able to build special memories for our kids. Now we want to spread the word and tell families of all kinds what enjoyment can be had from packing the family up for a trip in the RV.

1. What did the author’s friend think of her travel plan?

A．A family trip should not last four weeks.

B．It was wise of her to take children on RV trips.

C．A family RV trip might bring unexpected troubles.

D．It was an opportunity to teach children to be brave.

2. What can we learn about the first RV trip of the author’s family?

A．They found many things lost.

B．It was ruined by bad weather.

C．They didn’t prepare well for it.

D．It was quite a scary experience.

3. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To appeal families to take RV trips together.

B．To show how to make RV trips interesting.

C．To encourage kids to take part in RV trips.

D．To share an unforgettable traveling experience.

5 . 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。

Layue is regarded as a preparatory phase for the upcoming Spring Festival. It is the     1     (twelve) month of the traditional Chinese calendar.

    2     (fall) on January 18 this year, Laba Festival was traditionally     3     occasion to honor their ancestors, and pray to deities, heaven, and earth for a good harvest and good luck. The last lunar month is called “la” in Chinese, and “eight’’ is pronounced “ba” in Chinese. This is     4     the name of the festival comes from. The custom     5     this day is to eat Laba porridge, cooked with a mix of eight ingredients, as eight is a     6     (fortune) number in Chinese culture.     7     (it) recipe varies across China depending on regional availability. Nowadays,     8     (boil) with sugar for at least four hours, Laba Porridge is regarded as a nutritious food. Distribution of Laba porridge at Yonghe Lamasery (雍和宫) in Beijing is one of the most famous activities. Today, waiting     9     (eager) in queues at the temples, people     10     (expect) to not just share a bowl of porridge, but be a part of the tradition and share the joys and expectations of the coming year.

6 . Fast food chains have tried for years to appeal to customers who care about their health. They have added lighter food to their menus, such as salads and yogurt. Of course, the lighter food goes with the usual burgers, fried chicken and shakes.

Menus have changed over the past three decades. According to a recent study, fast food menus are less healthy than they were 30 years ago. The study suggests the problem is getting worse. The fat, salt content and size of fast food meals are the problem. They are often the reason for the rising obesity (肥胖) rate among adults in the United States. The researchers found that the average main dish weighed more in 2016 than in 1986. It also had more calories and more sodium (钠). One expert said, “The restaurants have not done enough. The big picture is that there have been some positive changes, but they are small. Overall, the changes have gotten worse.”

The average fast food dessert had more calories in 2016. It also weighed more than the average fast food dessert thirty years earlier. Restaurants are counting on bigger sundaes and cookies to increase the amount spent on each order. For example, McDonald’s recently introduced “donut sticks” dusted with sugar. Six sticks have 280 calories. But you can also order 12 sticks for less than the cost of two single orders.

The researchers found that, over the 30 years, there were more calories in items like chips, soup, and French fries. Sodium content rose even though portion(一份) size did not grow much. When consumed together as a single meal, the study found that the average main dish and side order account for nearly 40 percent of a 2000-calory daily diet.

1. Why do fast food chains provide lighter food?

A．To match the fast food.	B．To attract more customers.
C．To reduce the cost of each meal.	D．To improve the health of customers.

2. Why are more American adults getting fat?

A．They take in more calories from fast food.

B．They have little time to exercise regularly.

C．They eat much more dessert after every meal.

D．They eat fast food more frequently than before.

3. What is the example of “donut sticks” for in paragraph 3?

A．Showing the way of restaurants’ making cookies.

B．Presenting the popularity of restaurants’ new food.

C．Stressing the increase in restaurants’ food varieties.

D．Explaining the intention of restaurants’ adding dessert.

4. Which one could be the best title of the text?

A．Fast Food Is Still Killing Us	B．Don’t Eat Any Fast Food Now
C．Try to Eat More Lighter Food	D．People Are Becoming Fatter and Fatter

7 . 阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。

When I was about four years old, I started washing my face on my own. However, I always ignored the area behind my ears on purpose though my mom would often remind me.

One summer, in July of that year, my mom drove me to my grandparents’ house for our annual summer holiday visit. When we arrived, I was told that Grandma had gone on a trip with her friends and wouldn’t be back for another two weeks. Feeling a bit down, I went to the yard to play while my mom and grandpa caught up on some things. Although I couldn’t hear their conversation clearly, I had a strong feeling they were talking about me based on their gestures and expressions. Later, my mom returned home, and she would come back to pick me up two months later.

After dinner that night, Grandpa asked me to take a bath before going to bed. Since I loved taking baths, I happily agreed. With the bathtub (浴缸) filled with water, Grandpa reminded me, “Just make sure you clean the area behind your ears really well. You wouldn’t want potatoes to start growing there, would you?”

“Potatoes?” I stopped in my tracks and turned back to look at him. “Yes, potatoes. If you don’t clean the dirt behind your ears, potatoes might actually sprout (发芽) and grow there,” he explained, causing my eyes to widen in surprise. “But I don’t have any potatoes behind my ears, Grandpa,” I said as I ran my fingers along the back of my ears. He took a quick glance and replied, “Oh, I see a couple of sprouts: starting right there!” He urged me to get into the bathtub immediately and scrub (擦洗) them away thoroughly.

I nodded, still in disbelief. This was the first time I had ever heard such a thing. Why hadn’t my parents warned me about this before? I wondered, but couldn’t find an answer. Nonetheless, I felt shocked by Grandpa’s warning.

注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。

I hurried to jump into the bathtub, carefully scrubbing behind my ears.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“What are you looking at behind your ears?” Grandma asked me curiously.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. What does the speaker do?

A．A medical doctor.

B．A fitness instructor.

C．A swimming coach.

2. What is the common mistake people make in workouts?

A．Focusing on only muscle training.

B．Doing too many types of workouts.

C．Keeping the same routine all the time.

3. How often does the speaker suggest people do hard workouts?

A．Once a week.

B．Twice a week.

C．Three times a week.

9 . If you thought that your child’s academic performance is based solely on the number of hours spent studying, you’re sorely wrong.     1     And one of the major, mostly ignored, influencing contributors is physical health.

Physical activity and health can actually boost a person’s ability to learn. According to a study, exercise can improve a child’s cognitive abilities, health, and academic performance significantly. Regular aerobic exercise enhances the functioning of the hippocampus, the area of the brain involved in learning and verbal memory.     2     Even the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal cortex—parts of the brain that control thinking and memory—are found to be in better health in those who exercise regularly than in the brains of those who don’t exercise.

The effect of exercise on memory and thinking is both direct and indirect. Directly, regular exercise gives the ability to stimulate the release of growth factors, chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells, as well as the survival of new brain cells.     3     It will also reduce stress and anxiety.

    4     Studies show that the added study length doesn’t bring about the expected learning effects. Furthermore, the greatest cognitive benefits from physical education have been seen to come about when physical education is given either in the first half of the day or midday rather than at the end of the day. The benefits of exercise in terms of academic performance also apply to college students. According to a recent study in the North Carolina State, just an hour of exercise every week can bring about great changes.     5    

A．There are loads of benefits of physical exercise.

B．In fact, good grades are a result of multiple factors.

C．As a consequence, it can boost our behaviour and thinking ability.

D．Additionally, getting enough exercise will improve sleep quality and mood.

E．Other forms of exercise like balance exercises do boost the cognitive performance of the brain.

F．The benefits of exercise during the school day exceed those coming from increasing class time.

G．Thus, physical activity should be seen as more a core educational concern than an insignificant option.

10 . 阅读下短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Gail Devers, an American athlete and also a three-time Olympic gold medalist in track and field, got her first one in 1992.     1     made Devers’ win so special was not just the nature of the race but also the journey she had taken     2     (get) there.

In the years leading up to the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Devers experienced a series of     3     (extreme) unpleasant health complications (并发症) which brought her close to retirement before her athletics career had even begun. It was not until she visited many health experts     4     Devers finally learned she had Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder (自身免疫紊乱). She cried the moment she knew it. Luckily, somebody appeared and had a     5     (solve) for her.

Thirty years went by. Today, Devers wants to raise awareness for the disease and     6     (it) symptoms (症状). “If there are 10 million people who could have Graves’ disease, then our job is to make sure that 10 million people can     7     (treat),” says Devers.

She also says, “My Graves’ disease has made me who I am. Therefore, I always tell people that if I had my life to live over, I would ask for this disease again,” she says. “I believe I’m stronger at     8     (have) to go through what I went through. Everybody is faced     9     challenges. We all feel like sometimes walls are closing in on us     10     there’s no way out. What do you do? You remember that strength and resilience that you have when you step on the line.