1 . Peter, a 5-year-old boy, showed such great interest in seashells that he would rush to pick them up with his 3-year-old sister, Shirley. They screamed out their joy as Peter collected his treasure into his pockets. For Peter, sea shells lay shining on the peaceful beach, waiting for him, just like stars twinkling (闪烁) in the sky. As waves touched them, they seemed to be flowers blooming (绽放) in gentle wind.
One day, Peter was wandering through a market with Shirley with some shells in his pocket. Suddenly Peter found his younger sister was lagging (落后) behind. He stopped and looked back, finding Shirley standing in front of a toy shop and staring at something with great interest. The boy went back to her and asked, “What do you want?” Shirley pointed at the doll, wearing a smile on her innocent face. Peter held his younger sister’s tiny hand, walking into the shop. He tiptoed (踮起脚尖) to reach for the doll, and like fulfilling an elder brother’s duty, gave the precious doll to Shirley. Holding tightly the doll, the sister was very happy.
The shopkeeper was watching everything and enjoyed seeing the mature (成熟的) behavior of the boy. Now the boy came to the counter and asked the shopkeeper, “How much does this doll cost, Sir?” The shopkeeper was a cool man, who had suffered from something in his life. So he asked the boy with love, “Well, what can you pay?” Peter reached into his clothes for money that was intended for these two little kids’ breakfast. Having counted the money, Peter put it with care on the counter, asking again, “Sir, is it enough for my little sister’s doll?” The amusing scene just in front of the shopkeeper eventually brought a smile to his face. Shaking his head slightly, he replied, “My boy, I am afraid it seems not to be enough.”
1. 选择恰当的词并用其正确形式填入文本图示中，每词(词组)限用一次。| amuse take up attract desire innocence responsibility make witness refuse loving care passion | |
| Peter and his 3-year-old sister features of seashells were so | |
| Wandering on the beach, Peter found his sister lagging behind at a toy store. The little girl drooled on (痴迷) a doll and The shopkeeper | The little girl showed her longing for the toy with her big, kids’ behavior |
| The boy asked for the price of the doll and decided to sacrifice his and his sister’s breakfast fund to get it, while the shopkeeper | The little boy took out his money |
3. How did the little boy intend to pay?
4. What might happen next?
A. But according to a new poll, Americans took more trips to the library than to the other leisure activities.
B. On the contrary, libraries are free, as are many of their available services like Wi-Fi, in addition to the endless supply of books.
C. Although it’s not the only reason, cost appears to play a part. Activities at the bottom of the list such as visiting theme parks and zoos are typically expensive.
D. Nowadays, we are given a wide range of available entertainment options. As a result, visits to the library may seem like an old-fashioned activity.
E. The poll surveyed 1,025 adults throughout the United States who were asked how many times they participated in nine different leisure activities, including visiting a library or attending a sporting event. Library visits came out on top as the favorite.
A. Based on people’s grammar scores and information about their learning of English, the researchers developed models that predicted how long it takes to become fluent in a language and the best age to start learning.
B. To find the answer, the research team turned to the Internet, to collect data on a person’s current age, language ability and time studying English.
C. The older you get the more difficult it is to learn to speak English like a British. But no one knows exactly at what age it becomes harder, to learn a new language.
D. They concluded that the ability to learn a new language is strongest until the age of 18. This is not to say that we cannot learn a new language if we are over 18, but most of us will not be able to master grammar like a native speaker.
E. They also created a short online grammar quiz that tested noun-verb agreement, pronouns, prepositions, and relative clauses, etc.
A. When the cultural distances are wide, some people feel anxious. They remain so homesick and feel so sad about being separated from their friends back home that they long to return, especially within the first year.
B. You may do some research on the cultural aspects of the new country such as the history, customs, and religious beliefs, rather than on what to see and where to go, so you may get prepared for a culture that is different from yours.
C. Besides, having trouble with the native language often makes them unwilling to communicate with other people. Actually, staying in a foreign country helps you to know more of the new culture.
D. Studying the language is also a great way to help bridge the gap between the cultures. The more of it is understood, the more of the new culture can be understood.
E. When you go to a foreign country, you often enter a new culture. The differences between cultures may make you feel stressed and you often find it difficult to adapt to the new surroundings, which is usually called “culture shock”.
A. For example, governments can use tax systems and place restrictions on the marketing of foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar. They can also provide healthy food in schools.
B. It is expected to rise by 100% among boys under 18, but go up even more sharply by 125% among girls the same age.
C. About 2.6 billion people around the world are already overweight. But on current trends, that is expected to rise to more than 4 billion people within 12 years, according to a research by the World Obesity Federation.
D. Therefore, governments and policymakers around the world need to do all they can to avoid passing health, social and economic costs on to the younger generation.
E. The research also shows that obesity(肥胖)among children and young people is increasing faster than among adults. By 2035, the number of obese youth is expected to be at least double the rate seen in 2020.
My favourite player was LeBron James. Paul’s favourite player was Tyrone Bogues, a guy who played for the Charlotte Hornets, although we actually agree that they are both champions. Bogues was only 1.6 metres tall, which made him the shortest player ever in the NBA. Guess what? Paul was only 1.6 metres tall, too! Paul knew that being shorter than other players meant that he had to practise more. During all those hours of doing jump shots on his own, he used Bogues as his inspiration. Paul once said, “If Bogues could make it, why not me?”
Our coach was not so sure. Paul had to try out many times just for making the team. He was still usually on the bench, being just a replacement, which was really tough on him. Everyone knew Paul had real skills, and was someone who worked really hard and had a strong desire to play for the team. However, Paul didn’t get a chance.
Which words best describe Paul?
| A．Smart and brave. | B．Inexperienced and shy. |
| C．Skilled and hard-working. | D．Strong-willed and independent. |
A. It turned out that the second group remembered the information better. In another experiment, the researchers gave people facts to remember, and told them where to find the information on the Internet. The information was in a specific computer folder (文件夹).
B. According to Sparrow, we are not becoming people with poor memory as a result of the Internet. Instead, computer users are developing stronger transactive (交互) memory. This doesn’t mean we are becoming either more or less intelligent, but there is no doubt that the way we use memory is changing.
C. As Internet users become more dependent on the Internet to store information, are people remembering less? If you know your computer will save information, why store it in your own personal memory—your brain? Experts are wondering if the Internet is changing what we remember and how.
D. In a recent study, Professor Betsy Sparrow her research team wanted to know whether the Internet is changing memory. In one experiment, they gave people 40 unimportant facts to type into a computer. The first group of people understood that the computer would save the information while the second group understood that the computer would not save it.
E. Surprisingly, people later remembered the folder location better than the facts. When people use the Internet, they do not remember the information. Rather, they remember how to find it. This is called ”transactive memory“.
A. Drops in air pressure (压力) produce an effect on small animals in many ways. Mice and deer are good weather indicators (指示器).
B. When people want to know about the weather, they usually go to the radios, TVs, newspapers, or to the Internet. However, you can also find many weather signs among wildlife, because of their highly developed senses.
C. People who spend a lot of time outdoors have observed that before a storm, field mice come out of their holes and run around. Deer leave high ground and comedown from the mountains.
D. By paying closer attention to some important signs in nature, we can become better prepared for any kind of weather.
E. Birds are especially good weather indicators because they also show the effect of a pressure drop in many ways. For example, some birds become irritable (急躁的) and quarrelsome and will fight over a piece of bread. Other birds chirp (叽叽噎喳) and sing just before a storm.
Tobias Le Compte, a 35-year-old Belgian musician, has become a
| A．wrestler | B．influencer | C．actor | D．conductor |
| A．was capable of | B．was moved by | C．was impressed by | D．was eager for |
| A．local people | B．native speakers | C．descendants | D．foreign residents |
| A．joined to | B．limited to | C．addicted to | D．devoted to |
| A．inspired | B．scared | C．discouraged | D．awarded |
1. Pet-keeping is a time-honored tradition. One of the reasons for people to raise dogs or cows was usefulness. While people in the past hunted animals and kept them in their backyards, the civilised man today is less cruel towards them and is less exploitative(利用的).
2. We keep animals as pets because they are attractive. We all have the urge to possess something that has aesthetic（审美的）value, and this is why we treasure paintings or fine furniture. Keeping pets is one form of this urge. A Siamese cat in the house can be a decorative object. Pets are playful animals and they amuse us. A little rabbit amuses us by its playful and lively runs.
3. Many parents find it helpful to have pets in the house for their children. Having pets is an excellent way of developing in children the love of animals and responsibility. Children get the opportunity to take on full responsibility for another creature’s life. It will be an educational experience for a child to watch the natural life cycle of an animal. There are psychological benefits for children. Pets are welcome friends for children who are lonely. Pets are excellent companions. Keeping pets means giving love and being loved. We find comfort in giving care and receiving care in return. We get pleasure from their appearance and their behavior.
4. As more people move into apartments, there are limitations on keeping of animals like dogs and monkeys. Therefore, caged animals have increased in popularity. Birds fall into this group. We keep them for their beautiful songs and feathers. Fish-keeping is a widespread hobby and the keeper can observe their behavior in the glass tank and study its entire life cycle. The cat is a fine house pet and it fits neatly into human habitation(居住地) without requiring its own cage. They are wonderful hunters, if there are rats around.
5. Pets satisfy man’s desire to care for a bit of nature. The pet owner has the responsibility for supplying those needs that nature provides. Pets are amusing and entertaining, but we are in a way doing animals harm by making them live in a human environment. Are we not enslaving(奴役)them?
| A．Adults keep pets with their children. |
| B．Pet-keeping has a very long history. |
| C．Pet-keeping may do harm to animals. |
| D．People keeps pets for their aesthetic need. |
| E．Caged pets become increasingly popular. |
| F．Pet-keeping is helpful for children’s growth. |
