1 . Rain beat against the window, matching my mood. I should have known that my new job at the hospital was too good to be true. Throughout the day, rumors (传言) warned that the newest employee from each department would be laid off. I was the newest one in the training department.
My boss appeared. “You probably know we’re cutting back,” he said. “Administration wants us to offer outplacement classes to help those employees find other jobs, showing them how to act in an interview, for example.” “Fine,” I answered unwillingly, not knowing what else to say.
I decided to go home early that day. In the hall, I met the lady who brought us cookies every Friday. She was a little woman with gray hair. Only her head and the top of her green apron (围裙) were visible over the cart (小车) loaded with cleaning supplies. At least she had a job!
At the final meeting, laid-off workers formed a line at the door. A colleague whispered, “I can’t believe our Cookie Lady is being laid off. We’ll miss her as much as we’ll miss her cookies.” When the colleague spoke to her in Spanish, I knew my classes would be useless for her and I realized how much better off I was than this poor woman.
I decided to do something for her. I wrote to a newspaper expressing how I felt about the unselfishness of the Cookie Lady who needed a job. A few days later, my article appeared in the newspaper and the Cookie Lady was allowed to stay in her position. On the same day, I received a letter, which seemed so unlikely that I read it twice. “An editor of a local magazine likes your piece and wants you to call her next time you’re looking for work…”
1. How did the author feel on that rainy day?| A．Nervous. | B．Excited. | C．Embarrassed. | D．Proud. |
| A．Take care of patients. | B．Leave earlier that day. |
| C．Help the laid-off workers. | D．Give up the job in the hospital. |
| A．He offered her a high-paid job. | B．He gave her advice on job hunting. |
| C．He made her story known to others. | D．He taught her how to pass an interview. |
| A．Good deeds have their rewards. |
| B．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| C．Little people can make a big difference. |
| D．Love brings more joy to people than work does. |
2 . Isabel Crook was born into a Canadian family in Chengdu, Southwest China’s Sichuan Province in 1915.While her parents were engaged in setting up schools and education organizations in Southwest China, Isabel herself was more interested in anthropology (人类学) and the ethnic minorities in China. As a foreign girl born in an Asian country that was undergoing great changes, she had every reason to be curious about what was going on around her.
At the age of 23, Isabel graduated from a Canadian college with a master’s degree and began carrying out field research in Sichuan Province. In 1947, Isabel and her husband David Crook were warmly welcomed by the Communist Party of China (CPC) to observe and study the revolutionary land reform taking place in China. In 1948 the couple accepted the invitation from a CPC representative to teach at a newly-built foreign affairs school. The school was the forerunner (前身) of today’s Beijing Foreign Studies University(BFSU). As a teacher at BFSU she laid the foundation for foreign language education in China.
As two of the first three foreign teachers at the school, Isabel and her husband brought new Western teaching methods to the classroom. Michael Crook, Isabel’s second son, noted that since some students were extremely poor during the 1950s and 1960s, his parents were especially sensitive to their situation and did what they could to help them while protecting their self-esteem. For example, they would bring food such as eggs and bread for picnics and share them with students who brought steamed bread of corn.
According to the younger Crook, because of his parents’ belief in communism, they chose to use political texts as their teaching materials, such as works once admired by Karl Marx. Understanding that the students would become diplomats (外交官) representing China, his parents tried to help students gain knowledge in different fields to better prepare them for communicating with foreigners in English.
On December 15th 2018, Isabel got the award of “The Most Influential Foreign Expat during 40 Years of China’s Reform and Opening up” from the Chinese government. On September 17, 2019, Isabel was awarded the Friendship Medal — the highest honor in China for foreigners — for her lifetime of devotion to China.
1. What did Isabel independently do according to the text?| A．She did field research. |
| B．She helped the poor students. |
| C．She was invited to teach English in China. |
| D．She introduced teaching methods of Western countries to China. |
| A．Isabel and her husband were rich at that time. |
| B．In the 1950s, Isabel’s husband worked as a reporter in China. |
| C．Isabel made great contributions to China’s foreign language education. |
| D．Isabel and her husband taught students only in Western ways of teaching. |
| A．They believed in communism. |
| B．They were crazy about Chinese politics. |
| C．They wanted to spread the spirits of Karl Marx. |
| D．They had to teach many subjects including politics. |
| A．Patient. | B．Caring. | C．Strict. | D．Romantic. |
3 . A British friend told me he couldn’t understand why Chinese people love eating sunflower seeds(嗑瓜子) as a snack so much.“I’ve met a lot of older Chinese and many have a crack in their front teeth, I believe that’s from cracking the seeds,”he said.
I had never noticed the habit, but once he mentioned it, I suddenly became more aware, I realized that whenever I’m watching TV or typing a report, I always start mindlessly cracking sunflower seeds. My friend doesn’t like sunflower seeds, and, to him, it seems unnecessary to work so much just to get one small seed.
When we were young, the whole family would usually get together for Chinese New Year. Then, we all lived close to one another, usually in a small city, and sometimes even neighbors would go door-to-door on Chinese New Year’s Eve to check out what every household was making.
I remember my parents would be in the kitchen cooking. Out in the living room, a large table would already be laid out, complete with fancy tablecloth, ready-made dumpling fillings, and dishes full of candy, fruits and sunflower seeds. Some of the dishes were to be offered to our ancestors later, while others were for neighbors and children to eat before the evening feast. I must have learned how to crack sunflower seeds back then.
I don’t think it’s right to criticize one’s choice in food or eating habits, no matter how strange they may seem.
It’s not only in China. When I went abroad, I found people had all sorts of strange habits when it came to food. In Denmark, they put salted red fish on bread and eat it for dinner, no matter how much it ruins your breath. They think it’s a delicacy(美味佳肴), and it’s connected to their certain culture. I think it’s a wonderful tradition.
1. What did the writer become aware of?| A．She had ever typed a report about seeds. |
| B．She had various snacks while watching TV. |
| C．She had a habit of cracking sunflower seeds. |
| D．She damaged her teeth by eating sunflower seeds. |
| A．The families get together for it. | B．Eating sunflower seeds is related to it. |
| C．The traditions of celebrating it disappear. | D．Children can eat delicious food on that day. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Critical. | C．Understandable. | D．Doubtful. |
| A．It is good to form healthy eating habits. |
| B．Eating habits come from a certain culture. |
| C．Changing your eating habits will change your life. |
| D．One kind of food doesn’t necessarily suit everyone. |
4 . Teen peer pressure is the influence a teen's social group has on him or her.
Teen peer pressure is not always bad. Good friends can encourage teens to do well in school, take part in positive activities, eat healthy foods, and avoid drugs.
Negative teen peer pressure is when teens feel pressured to do something that they know is wrong, such as smoking or stealing.
| A．Practice ways to say no. |
| B．Peer pressure influences people for their whole life. |
| C．Even pressure to do good things can be bad for tens. |
| D．Teens may be forced to give in to negative peer pressure. |
| E．Here are some things that a teen can do to deal with peer pressure. |
| F．Peer pressure can be direct or indirect, but it is almost always present. |
| G．They also help teens learn better ways to communicate and work out problems. |
5 . With the development of our society, cellphones have become a common part in our lives. Have you ever run into a careless cellphone user in the street? Maybe they were busy talking, texting or checking updates on WeChat without looking at what was going on around them. As the number of this new "species" of human has kept rising, they have been given a new name—phubbers (低头族).
Recently a cartoon created by students from China Central Academy of Fine Arts put this group of people under the spotlight. In the short film, phubbers with various social identities bury themselves in their phones. A doctor plays with his cellphone while letting his patient die. A pretty woman takes a selfie (自拍) in front of a car accident site. And a father loses his child without knowing about it while using his mobile phone. A chain of similar events will finally lead to the destruction(毁灭) of the world.
Although the ending of the film sounds unrealistic, the damage phubbing can bring is real. Your health is the first to bear the effect and the result of it. "Always bending your head to check your cellphone could damage your neck," Guangming Daily quoted doctors' words. "The neck is like a rope that breaks after long-term stretching." Also, staring at cellphones for a long time will damage your eyesight gradually, according to the report.
But that's not all. Being a phubber could also damage your social skills and drive you away from your friends and family. When getting together with family or friends, many people prefer to play their cellphones while others are chatting happily with each other and this creates a strange atmosphere, Qilu Evening News reported.
It can also cost your life. There have been lots of reports on phubbers who fell to their death, suffered accidents, and were robbed of their cellphones in broad daylight.
1. Why does the author give the example of a cartoon in Paragraph 2?| A．To suggest phubbers will destroy the world. |
| B．To call for people to go walking without phones. |
| C．To tell people the bad effects of phubbing. |
| D．To advise students to create more cartoons like this. |
① Destructing the world.
② Affecting his social skills.
③ Damaging his neck and eyesight.
④ Getting separated from his friends and family.
| A．①②④ | B．②③④ | C．①③④ | D．①②③④ |
| A．Supportive. | B．Confident. | C．Disapproving. | D．Unconcerned. |
| A．Ways to avoid the risks of phubbing. | B．Bad effects of phubbing. |
| C．Daily life of phubbers. | D．Behaviours of phubbers. |
6 . What’s the meaning of the “dark horse”? It is someone who wins when no one expect it.
Han Xiaopeng took China’s first gold on snow. He became an Olympic “dark horse” by winning the gold medal in men’s freestyle skiing aerials (自由式滑雪空中技巧) at Turin in Italy. He made two almost perfect jumps for the highest score. Han had never won a world gold medal before, let alone in the Olympics!
“I never thought this would happen,” said Han Xiaopeng, “I feel like I’m in a dream.” It’s China’s second gold medal at the Turin Olympic Winter Games. But more important, Han’s gold was the country’s first ever in a snow sport. In 2002, China’s Yang Yang won the gold for speed skating at the Winter Olympic in Salt Lake City, US.
That Han’s win was unexpected doesn’t mean that he didn’t work hard.
Han grew up in Jiangsu Province. Before he started his training on snow, he used to be an acrobat (杂技演员) at a circus. In 1995, a coach found his talent. The coach, Yang Er’qi, said Han had the agility (灵活性) and courage to be a ski jumper. When Yang first took the 12-year-old boy to northern China, he couldn’t swim, skate or ski. But he wasn’t afraid of the high platform and kept on training.
Han almost left the sport after hurting his knee months before the Salt Lake Games. In that Olympics he only got 24th. “I was hopeless at that time, but my family and the coach stood behind me, helping me through,” he recalled.
Han Xiaopeng worked so hard that he won the gold medal in the Olympics at last. Because of his success, more and more people in China are becoming interested in skiing. We are proud of him.
1. What does the “dark horse” mean?| A．Someone who is unexpected to win. |
| B．A horse which dark. |
| C．A horse which likes the dark. |
| D．Someone whose win is expected. |
| A．In China. | B．In America. |
| C．In Australia. | D．In Italy. |
| A．He had enough courage though he was only 13 years old. |
| B．He was born in the south of China and liked sports on snow. |
| C．He had the agility and wasn’t afraid of the high platform. |
| D．He had the talent and he had won a world gold medal before. |
| A．A wonderful Match |
| B．A Dark Horse at the Winter Olympic |
| C．A Hopeful Snow Game |
| D．An Exciting Skiing Race |
7 . In the United States，many teachers keep fish，hamsters(仓鼠)，and other animals in their classrooms.Teachers say students learn important lessons from the animals.More than 70 percent of teachers who have classroom pets say the animals help students learn responsibility.Research also shows that classroom pets can reduce stress.
“Pets can comfort kids who are having a bad day,”says Lisa Robbins，who works fora group called Pets in the Classroom.
But others think pets should be expelled from classrooms. In January，the Durango School District in Colorado began following a no-pet policy(政策).Now animals can be brought into Durango schools for certain lessons，but they can't stay.Officials were worried that animals might create problems for kids with allergies(过敏症).They were also concerned about the animals getting proper care.
Here's what two of our readers think.
Having classroom pets gives students a fun way to learn about animals. In my class last year，we had a class pet named Elliot.Our teacher also used him to teach us about different subjects.For example，in math，we calculated (计算)how much it costs to feed Elliot for a year.
Pets also help kids learn how to work as a team. My classmates and I took turns feeding Elliot and cleaning his tank,
If teachers are worried about students with allergies，they could get pets that don't have fur.
—D' Lasia Mays，Texas
Classroom pets can take away valuable class time.Some students might have a hard time focusing on the teacher when there are animals in the room.
Plus，having a classroom pet can cause safety problems. You never know how an animal will react to students.Even a cute little hamster might hurt a kid who sticks his or her hand in its cage.
—Patrick McKinney，Ohio
1. What does the underlined word " expelled”in Paragraph 3 probably mean?| A．Allowed. | B．Removed. |
| C．Protected. | D．Educated. |
| A．Classroom pets are not allowed at schools. |
| B．Animals are not allowed at schools. |
| C．Many teachers have pets without fur. |
| D．Many students are allergic to animals. |
| A．He needs special training. | B．He needs more proper care. |
| C．He has educational value for kids. | D．He is not only lovely but very smart. |
| A．The author. | B．Lisa Robbins. |
| C．Patrick McKinney. | D．D' Lasia Mays’ teacher. |
8 . With the summer holiday around the corner, it seems that everybody is busy planning their vacations. Here are some tips that can help you enjoy your holiday without emptying your pocket:
Travel off-season
Go to your destination while the demand is low and take advantage of huge discounts. During the peak season, the hotel and flight prices increase quickly.
Save on hotels
Look for places that do not charge extra for children.
Planning your meals is another way to reduce your travel costs. During your family trip, try new food the locals eat, which will save money.
Don’t hesitate to bargain
Tourist-heavy places are known for overcharging for just about everything. Clothes, travel goodies, souvenirs, etc. are very expensive at these places.
Choose local transportation
| A．Eat like a local |
| B．Stay with the locals |
| C．Surf the Internet while travelling |
| D．Therefore, avoid buying anything there |
| E．So it’s best to find out when the off-season starts |
| F．For this reason, you shouldn’t feel ashamed to ask for bargains |
| G．As a tourist, avoid taking taxis whenever possible, since they are expensive |
9 . Nelson Mandela is respected and admired across the world. And to South Africans he is a superstar. He is a hero who shocked the world by fighting for peace between races, despite the 27 years he spent in the prison of the South Africa’s white, racist regime(政权).
Mandela, who won the nation’s first all-race elections after the fall of apartheid(种族隔离) in 1944,retired in 1999. But he remains as popular as ever.
＂He’s loved by all people, whether you’re white or black, whether you’re young or old,＂ said Ali Bacher, South Africa’s former cricket(板球) chief.
His popularity has inspired an entire national industry. His portrait has appeared at many places, including on some goods. His face has appeared on a South African coin, a metropolitan(大都会的) area was named in his honor and some business leaders hope to build a massive, rotating statue in his likeness — the Statue of Freedom. It would stand taller than New York’s Statue of Liberty.
His popular appeal is similar to that of John F. Kennedy with US or Winston Churchill in Britain, but few politicians in his times have achieved his level of admiration, said Tom Lodge, head of the political science department of the University of the Witwatersrand.＂ Sometimes it isn’t completely appreciated what a skilled performer Mandela has been throughout his political career. He is a very, very clever man,＂ However, he is far from perfect.
Most articles for his birthday, which appeared in every major South African newspaper on the day, briefly mentioned that Mandela did have his shortcomings. Then they returned to their flowing praises. ＂Through the ages, the human race has had its icons(偶像) — men and women who rose above ordinary people to inspire their generation,＂ The Mail and Guardian Weekly said. ＂In our generation, the gods presented us Nelson Mandela.＂
1. Nelson Mandela is loved by all the people of South Africa because________.| A．he’s as popular as Kennedy and Churchill | B．he spent 27 years in prison |
| C．he’s a great fighter against the racialism | D．he won the first all-race elections |
| A．It inspired the whole nation to develop business. |
| B．His portrait appears on the Statue of Freedom. |
| C．His portrait is used to raise money for the Statue of Freedom. |
| D．His portrait is similar to that of John F. Kennedy or Winston Churchill. |
| A．Mandela is as great as a god | B．We are proud to have this hero |
| C．Mandela lives together with us today | D．We are proud to know Mandela |
| A．science book | B．travel journal | C．newspaper | D．story book |
10 . After –school Activities
The Carnegie Center
251W.Second St.
(859)254-4175
Offering seasonal classes in reading, writing and math for children; monthly Family Fun and Learning Nights; writing, publishing and language classes for adults; author readings and other arts-related events. Many classes and events are free.
Boyd Orchards
1396 Pinckard Pike,Versailles
(859)873-3097
Enjoy a large playground with a 90-foot slide(滑坡)，five –floor treehouse, climbing walls and 40-foot small slide. Kids can feed animals in the animal center and pick fruits in season.
Collins Bowling Center
205Southland Drive/(859)277-5746
750East New Circle Road
(859)252-3429
Children always love bowling parties to celebrate their birthdays. Parties are priced per child and the charge includes bowling, shoe rental, free games of bowling, paper products and balloons. Food, drink and a game room are available(可获得的).
1. What can we learn about the Carnegie Center?| A．It offers only night classes. | B．It is designed for arts lovers. |
| C．It has weekly fun for families. | D．It teaches both kids and adults. |
| A．Birthday cakes. | B．Free bowling games. |
| C．Shoe rental. | D．Paper products. |
| A．(859)254-4175 | B．(859)252-3429 |
| C．(859)873-3097 | D．(859)277-5746 |
