1 . I’m a seventeen-year-old boy preparing for my A Level exams at the end of the year. In the society where my peers (同龄人) and I live, we tend to accept the rat race values. As students, we want to get good grades so that we can get good jobs. I enjoy studying and have consistently received A’s in my classes. There was a year when I finished first in my class in the final exams. It was a great accomplishment.
Another one I am pleased with is that I managed to improve the relationship between Mum and Dad. Dad was a successful businessman who was rarely at home. Mum was a housewife who always felt bored and constantly nagged (唠叨) him to let her go to work. Their constant arguing bothered me, so I advised Dad that Mum would be better off with a part-time job. He agreed, and their relationship has improved since then.
My most proud achievement, however, is my successful work in the local old folks’ home. My grandparents had raised me since I was a child. I wept (哭泣) bitterly when they died. Unlike many of my classmates, I do not take part in my school’s community service to earn points. I enjoy my voluntary work and believe I’m contributing to a worthwhile cause. This is where I can help. I talk to the elderly, assist them with their daily life, and listen to their problems, glory days and the hardships they experienced.
Last year, I hosted a successful New Year party for the elderly and they enjoyed a great time. Many expressed a desire to attend another party the following year. When I reflect on my accomplishments, I’m especially proud of my service at the old folks’ home, so I hope to study social work at university and work as a social worker in the future. I wish to be more skilled in attending to the less fortunate and find great satisfaction in it, after all.
1. What can be inferred about the author from the first paragraph?| A．He is content with his learning achievements. | B．His good grades got him a good job. |
| C．He refuses to compete with his peers fiercely. | D．His views on social values are well known. |
| A．A bystander (旁观者). | B．A judge. | C．A helper. | D．A destroyer. |
| A．The contribution to volunteering. | B．The success in exams. |
| C．The recovery of confidence in life. | D．The work in school’s service. |
| A．To gain a well-paid job. | B．To give his life a purpose. |
| C．To better help the disadvantaged. | D．To meet his grandparents’ expectations. |
2 . Discover Nature Schools Programs
Becoming Bears(Kindergarten－2 grade)
By becoming baby bears, children learn from their “parent” to survive the seasons. Kids will find safety in the spring and learn kinds of food bears eat during the summer, and then create a cave for winter hibernation(冬眠)．After learning the skills needed to survive, students will go out of the cave as an independent black bear able to care for themselves.(1.5－2 hours)
Whose Clues?(3－5 grade)
Kids will discover how plants and animals use their special structures to survive. Through outdoor study of plants and animals, kids will recognize their special structures and learn how they enable species to eat, avoid their enemies and survive. Using what they have learned, kids will choose one species and tell how they survive in their living places.(3－4 hours)
Winged Wonders(3－5 grade)
Birds add color and sound to our world and play an important ecological role. Students will learn the basics of birds, understand the role birds play in food chains and go birdwatching using field guides and telescopes. Students will do handson activities. Students will use tools to build bird feeders, allowing them to attract birds at home.(3－4 hours)
Exploring Your Watershed(6－8 grade)
We all depend on clean water. Examining how our actions shape the waterways around us. Go on a hike to see firsthand some of the challenging water quality problems in a city. Students will test the water quality to determine the health of an ecosystem.
·Each program is taught for a class with at least 10 students.
·All programs include plenty of time outdoors. So please prepare proper clothing, sunscreen and insect killers for children.
·To take part in a program, please email dcprogramsmdc.mo.gov.
1. What can kids do at Becoming Bears?| A．Watch bears' performances. | B．Take care of bears. |
| C．Learn how to survive a bear attack. | D．Pretend to be baby bears to learn about bears. |
| A．Whose Clues? | B．Exploring Your Watershed |
| C．Becoming Bears | D．Winged Wonders |
| A．have the same teaching hours | B．have outdoor activities |
| C．are offered during summer holidays | D．are designed for primary school students |
3 . San Francisco Fire Engine Tours
San Francisco Winery TourRunning: February 1st through April 30th
This delicious tour goes through the city on its way to Treasure Island where we will stop at the famous Winery SF. Here you can enjoy 4 pours of some of the best wine San Francisco has to offer.(Included in tickets price)
Departing from the Cannery: Tour times upon request.Duration(时长): 2 hours
Price: $90
Back to the Fifties Tour
Running: August 16th through August 31st
This tour transports you back in time to one of San Francisco’s most fantastic periods, the 1950s! Enjoy fun history as we take you through San Francisco for a free taste of ice cream.
Departing from the Cannery: 5:00 pm and 7:30 pmDuration: 2 hours
Price: $90
Spooky Halloween Tour
Running: October 10th through October 31st
Join us for a ride through the historical Presidio district. Authentic fire gear(服装) is provided for your warmth as our entertainers take you to some of the most thrilling parts of San Francisco.
Departing from the Cannery: 6:30 pm and 8:30 pmDuration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Price: Available upon request
Holiday Lights Tour
Running: December 6th through December 23rd
This attractive tour takes you to some of San Francisco’s most cheerful holiday scenes. Authentic fire gear is provided for your warmth as you get into the holiday spirit.
Departing from the Cannery: 7:00 pm and 9:00 pmDuration: 1 hour and 30 minutes
Advance reservations required.
1. Which of the tours is available in March?
| A．San Francisco Winery Tour. | B．Back to the Fifties Tour. |
| C．Spooky Hallowen Tour. | D．Holiday Lights Tour. |
| A．Go to Treasure Island. | B．Enjoy the holiday scenes. |
| C．Have free ice cream. | D．Visit the Presidio district. |
| A．Take some drinks. | B．Set off early in the morning. |
| C．Wear warm clothes. | D．Make reservations in advance. |
4 . It was the first time I had noticed him properly. Before this, Jack had just been a friendly young man provided by the hotel to accompany me on trips to the wildlife park nearby. But then he caught my attention by asking me to shut up.
“It’s just a garden spider. Don’t cry!” he said, looking at the creature with more love than I could gather for most humans. I had indeed cried-I was in the front seat of a jeep and the spider was on my leg.
“I don’t care what it is. Make it go away!” I said. I wanted him to pick the thing up and throw it out of the jeep right at that moment. He did something quite else.
He pushed his leg towards mine and held out the cloth of his trousers to gently let the spider go onto his own leg. He then drove on, as if nothing had happened. The spider climbed a little bit and then just stopped on his knee. I sat there staring at the spider for any sudden movement.
I was frightened that the man was completely at ease with a spider dangerously quiet on his knee. About 15 minutes later, he pushed his knee forward to the dashboard and the spider immediately climbed off his knee and on to the jeep. “The poor thing had been trying to get off me,” he said. “I only noticed now that it was trying to reach the dashboard, so I helped it along.”
I wondered then about this man, who thought about the spider with such kindness... Where and when did I lose my empathy towards the unfamiliar? Now, when faced with a row of ants on the staircase, my first reaction is no longer to attack them. The ants were already wise, but thanks to Jack, I learnt to live with the not so beautiful bits of nature.
1. We can infer that the writer at first .| A．invited Jack to go to the wildlife park | B．was excited to keep Jack company |
| C．fell in love with Jack at the first sight | D．didn’t take seriously of Jack |
| A．To let it alone. | B．To remove it off her leg. |
| C．To get it off the jeep. | D．To observe it with love. |
| A．Put it on his knee for a look. | B．Made it move onto his leg. |
| C．Threw it out of the jeep. | D．Stared at it in case of a sudden attack. |
| A．To avoid an attack from a wild creature. | B．To be friendly with people in need. |
| C．To challenge dangerous creatures bravely. | D．To love those living creatures anywhere. |
5 . Students at an elementary school in California, with the help of their art teacher, created a telephone hotline that people can call to get cheerful advice from kids during difficult times. In just days, the hotline began getting thousands of calls an hour.
Most people agree that with concerns like COVID-19, extreme weather, and the climate crisis, the last couple of years have been stressful.
Jessica Martin, who teaches art at West Side School in Healdsburg, California, thought her students just might have the magic words to bring calm to people in these difficult times. So Ms. Martin, along with artist Asherah Weiss, worked with students on a project they called “PepToc”.
The project had two parts-one was the hotline, and the other was creating encouraging posters. The two adults worked with students from kindergarten to sixth grade. They had the same basic question for all the students, “What could you say to help or encourage someone else? “Students working on the hotline thought of what they would like to say. When they were ready, Ms. Martin recorded each one. Later, she sorted out the recordings into the different parts of the telephone hotline.
Pressing 1 brings up ideas for people who are “feeling mad, frustrated or nervous”. Helpful suggestions include “punch your pillow” or “go get a cookie”. Pressing 2 results in “words of encouragement and life advice”. By pressing 3, you can hear a group of kindergartners saying together: “You can do it! Keep trying, don’t give up!” Pressing 4 starts the sounds of children giggling and laughing-a sound certain to bring a smile to anyone’s face.
Ms. Martin thought the project would only attract interest from people near the school. But the hotline was soon getting hundreds of calls a day. Words of the hotline spread quickly on social media. The hotline has become incredibly popular with stressed adults, patients in hospitals, older people in homes, and others who just want to hear the happy voices of children.
1. Who came up with the idea of the project?| A．Parents of West Side School. |
| B．Jessica Martin and Asherah Weiss. |
| C．A student of West Side School. |
| D．The government of Healdsburg. |
| A．1. | B．2. | C．3. | D．4. |
| A．The magic of the children. |
| B．The sadness of the people. |
| C．The popularity of the hotline. |
| D．The influence of the social media. |
| A．The Charm of Art Is Beyond Words |
| B．A Project Is Carried Out to Study COVID-19 |
| C．A Hotline Brings Stressful People Hope |
| D．Positive Messages From Kids Make a Hotline a Hit |
6 . Many studies have been conducted to discover the benefits of volunteering. Volunteer work means to carry out a duty or a job without expecting repayment or reward. The concept is very popular in advanced or rich countries. But in some countries, many people look at volunteering as a waste of time and effort.
One person is immediately seen as selfless and helpful when one volunteers to help out someone such as a friend, teacher or parent.
Besides, volunteering with an organization such as orphanages, community centers and other non-profit organizations allows you to interact with society at large. In addition to helping these organizations carry out their duties, you not only gain experience but can learn a variety of skills.
Thus, with so many benefits, students, in particular, should be allowed to participate volunteer activities.
| A．You will feel you are proud |
| B．Your will feel you are respected |
| C．This is especially beneficial to students |
| D．One should actively be involved in volunteering |
| E．However, one can get many benefits from volunteering |
| F．They can learn some useful interpersonal and organizational skills |
| G．Volunteering also exposes one to many interesting ideas and issues |
7 . I live in New York city and my neighbours are people I don’t know. My city, neighborhood and block are filled with people who don’t know me, don’t care to know me, and don’t talk to me. I find that it’s pretty hard to love people you don’t even know. And sometimes, we all, myself included, use that as an excuse not to try. I read Brendan’s story recently and was moved.
One day, Brendan, a young man in New York was on the way back to his Brooklyn apartment when a homeless woman called Jackie asked him for money. He said that he had no money. By the end of the week, she asked two more times, and each time he answered “No”. The woman looked sad, so Brendan said, “I am on my way to a job interview. If I get the job, I’ll take you out for lunch.”
Brendan got the job. He took Jackie out for lunch. That was when their friendship began. They built a strong friendship by supporting each other and spending their birthdays, holidays and difficult times together, over a period of eight years. When Brendan’s heater broke, Jackie made a blanket for him. Two days later when he told her that he had lost his job, she left and returned minutes later, bring him food to eat. She continued to do that during the whole winter. Even with so little, she often gave back.
Over these years, Jackie moved from the streets and subway stations into a halfway house, and is now moving into an apartment. To celebrate it, Brendan wanted to do something special for Jackie. He went with her and helped her to pick out everything she would need for her new apartment.
May Brendan’s story encourage us to find a new way to honour, serve and love the people around us.
1. What can we learn about the author from paragraph 1?| A．He often stays indoors. | B．He cares about his neighbours. |
| C．He is good at making friends. | D．He hardly talk to his neighbours |
| A．He was angry with her. | B．He didn’t give her any. |
| C．He offered her some food. | D．He gave her some spare change. |
| A．They developed a new friendship. | B．They helped each other to find work. |
| C．They fell in love with each other. | D．They discovered they were classmates. |
| A．Jackie’s finding work. | B．Jackie’s moving from the streets. |
| C．Jackie’s moving into an apartment. | D．Jackie’s moving into a halfway house. |
8 . Nowadays more and more people like to travel, especially when vacations come. A great number of people rush out of their homes or companies to travelling spots. They either drive or take a bus, a train, a ship and so on. Some even ride bikes.
However, there is another way of travelling-poorism. People have a tour in the poorest areas of the world. Some people may take a one-day poorest tour, and some even pay to stay in very poor neighborhoods to experience the lowest living standards in the world. Poorism tours take place around the world, and not just in the third world countries. You can, for instance, tour New York neighborhoods in the Bronx, in the Bund of Shanghai. Such tours can take people into the heart of poor areas within some large and rich cities. These tours may awaken people to pay more attention to long-standing poverty, or the effects of war.
Some suggest that tours in the poor areas can raise social care. And the money from the tour can be donated to help the people there.
1. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “poorism” in the second paragraph?| A．贫困 | B．穷人 | C．穷游 | D．可怜的人 |
| A．to show how rich they are | B．to experience the poor life |
| C．to enjoy the beautiful scenes | D．to see poor people |
| A．care for the poverty more | B．know about the countryside |
| C．go to big cities | D．go into the heart of rich cities |
| A．Few people | B．Poor people | C．Lots of people | D．Rich people |
9 . Each year, the US Social Security Administration releases a list of the most popular baby names of the year. Nearly every citizen is registered (登记) with the organization, making it easy to create an accurate list.
The list also shows which names are most common during a certain decade.
But some more unusual names have increased in popularity in recent years. From 2016 to 2017, the names “Wells” and “Kairo” (for boys) and “Ensley” and “Oaklynn” (for girls) all became more popular. But these names are still quite rare compared to more ordinary names.
| A．Even pop culture can influence how popular names become. |
| B．Some even refer to them as “old people names”. |
| C．Picking a name for their baby is often a headache for parents. |
| D．The list shows that society and culture change overtime. |
| E．It has been one of the most popular names in the US for almost a century. |
| F．For example, in the 1980s, when I was born, the most common name was Michael. |
| G．But it’s ordinary names like John and Jane that have always been popular and probably always will be. |
10 . Caribou Math Competition
Participants: 2nd graders ~ high school students
Cash Prizes: Yes
The Caribou Math Competition is the only worldwide math competition that is held totally online. This contest is held six times throughout the school year, and students that complete all six tests can compete for the Caribou Cup. Each contest engages students in 60 minutes of math puzzles, interactive questions, and a wide variety of problem-solving activities.
Not only is the Caribou Math Competition open to international participants, it also offers contests to elementary (小学) through high school students. The high school level Caribou Math Contests are divided into two age-based categories. Grades 9 and 10 participate in the same contests, and grades 11 and 12 participate in the same contests.
Cash prizes are given out to the top performing students and schools in the Caribou Cup after the final contest each year, which is held in May. Students are ranked based on the total of their top scores in five out of the six contests. A student’s cash prize amount is determined based on their percentage score multiplied by a set dollar amount based on their ranking. Here’s how that is calculated:
·1st place student: $100 × percentage score
·2nd place student: $75 × percentage score
·3rd place student: $50 × percentage score
·4th and on: $30 × percentage score
1. Who can join in the competition?| A．High school students. | B．University students from China. |
| C．All elementary school students. | D．Every student around the world. |
| A．It has seven tests. | B．It offers cash prizes. |
| C．It is held five times every year. | D．It’s the only worldwide online math competition. |
| A．By their top five contest scores. | B．By the rankings of their schools. |
| C．By the best score of their six contests. | D．By their scores in the contest for the Caribou Cup. |
