A Little Boy
A little boy selling magazines for school walked up to a house that people rarely visited. The house was very old and shabby and the owner hardly ever came out. When he did come out, he would not say hello to his neighbors or passers-by but simply just glared at them.
The boy knocked on the door and waited, sweating from fear of the old man. The boy’s parents told him to stay away from the house, and a lot of other neighborhood children were told the same thing from their parents.
Dusk found the boy lingering on and hesitating what to do. As he was ready to walk away, the door slowly opened. “What do you want?” the old man said impatiently. The little boy was very afraid but he had a quota (定额) to meet for school with selling the magazines. So he got up the courage and said, “Uh, Sir, I am selling these magazines and, uh, I was wondering if you would like to buy one from me.”
The old man just stared at the boy without a word. The boy could see inside the old man’s house and saw that he had dog figurines (小雕像) on the fireplace mantle. “Do you collect dogs?” The little boy asked. “Yes, I have many collections in my house. They are my family here and they are all I have.” The boy then felt sorry for the man, as it seemed that he was a very lonely soul.
“Well, I do have a magazine here for collectors. It is perfect for you. I also have one about dogs since you like dogs so much.” The old man was ready to close the door on the boy and said, “No, boy. I don’t need any magazines of any kind, now goodbye.”
The little boy was sad that he was not going to make his quota with the sale. He was also sad for the old man being so alone in the house that he owned. The boy went home and then had an idea. He had a little dog figurine that he got some years ago from an aunt. The figurine did not mean nearly as much to him since he had a real live dog and a large family.
注意:1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式作答。
The little boy headed back down to the old man’s house.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________From that day on something changed inside the old man.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . The Battista family of New York City was on vacation in Ocean City, Maryland when their 2-year-old Fisher went lost on July 4, 2020.
The Battistas immediately blanketed the area with missing posters, barraged (炮击) social media, and even got Fisher face-time on a local floating billboard (广告牌).
With no leads, the family decided to remain in the area for an extended stay. They hired a tracker and even consulted with an “animal communicator” in hopes of tapping into Fisher’s whereabouts (行踪) — all to no avail.
The family also set up a find-fisher Facebook page, which quickly gathered 8,000 followers, and launched an online fundraiser to raise awareness and help them in their efforts to bring their beloved fur baby home.
“Signs have been posted, and we’ve extended our stay in Ocean City and arranged to bring in a professional dog tracker, in addition to making continuous searching trips in a car, on foot, and on a bike,” Matthew Battista wrote.
On April 20, 2021, 290 days after Fisher made his unauthorized Independence Day exit, Baltimore City resident Wayne Horn was repairing his motorcycle when he noticed a stray (走失的) dog in the road. When a friend of Horn’s posted picture of the found dog to Facebook, the responses of “That’s Fisher!” came back faster than a boomerang (回旋镖).
Informed of the news, Elissa Battista recognized Fisher immediately. “From the moment I saw the photos I knew it was him from the markings and his little tongue sticking out,” she posted to Facebook.
The reunion was quickly arranged. The Battistas had some local friends pick him up from the Horns, and then Elissa made the five-hour trip to retrieve Fisher and bring him home. Apart from minor signs of possible frostbite (冻伤), Fisher was in excellent shape.
1. What was described in detail in the text?| A．Battistas’ regret for losing their loved dog. |
| B．Online responses to the Battistas’ request. |
| C．Different comments on the touching story. |
| D．Efforts made to search for the lost dog. |
| A．Online viewers recognized its photos posted online. |
| B．One of family members discovered it in the road. |
| C．Wayne Horn sent it back shortly after he found it. |
| D．A professional dog tracker brought it back soon. |
| A．Break down. | B．Take apart. | C．Pay back. | D．Get back. |
| A．Chance favors the prepared mind. | B．Loyalty always comes first. |
| C．Never giving up pays off. | D．Misfortune may be an actual blessing. |
3 . Scientists don’t have all the answers to the question “How to Strengthen Your Immune System?”, but exercise, proper diet, and stress management can make you more recoverable at any age.
One aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic that has kept us guessing since the early days is why some people who get the virus don’t suffer much and others become desperately ill. All the more, while the elderly have been particularly hard hit, some— even centenarians(百岁老人)— survive, whereas countless younger people, whose immune systems are supposed to be stronger, have succumbed to it. So what factors give some people a stronger immune system than others, regardless of age? What does it mean if, for example, your partner or child gets sick and you don’t, or vice versa?
We know that our immune systems slowly decline as we age. Doctors call it immunosenescence. It’s slow and insidious (在不知不觉之间加剧的). Think of a photo of yourself from ten years ago versus one taken this afternoon. “You see changes in your face, skin, and hair color,” says Insoo Kang, MD, director of allergy and immunology at the Yale School of Medicine. “It takes time. Same process with your immune system.”
The difference in rate of decline between individuals is one of science’s big mysteries. The immune system is complex, but most of us understand the basics: Our bodies detect an intrude— a virus, bacterium, parasite, or foreign object— and produce white blood cells to fight against the problem. How many of these cells you produce when you’re, say, 73 versus when you were 45 is the million-dollar question. And it’s at the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fortunately, we won’t always be in a pandemic. But we can use this one to gain an understanding of how the immune system changes with age and how we might slow the decline and stay stronger in the future.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To state a fact in life. | B．To solve a problem. |
| C．To introduce a topic. | D．To voice an opinion. |
| A．Fought against. | B．dealt with. | C．Succeeded in. | D．Died of. |
| A．By listing lots of numbers about it. | B．By comparing photos of different ages. |
| C．By doing some physical research. | D．By making a comparison questionnaire. |
| A．Immune System Declines with Age | B．Immune system and COVID-19 |
| C．Slow the decline of Immune System | D．Stay stronger in the future |
4 . Five years ago, my husband and I bought a farm.
As we restore the land, I feel my well-being
It has taken a couple of years to
We also learned how to
Owning a farm was never our
| A．disappearing | B．lasting | C．returning | D．crashing |
| A．song | B．light | C．shadow | D．storm |
| A．secured | B．found | C．explored | D．repaired |
| A．clear | B．remove | C．shelter | D．access |
| A．patients | B．friends | C．staff | D．family |
| A．weaker | B．older | C．taller | D．smaller |
| A．respond to | B．appeal to | C．concentrate on | D．depend on |
| A．preparing | B．selecting | C．processing | D．learning |
| A．grown | B．changed | C．faded | D．remained |
| A．gratitude | B．contribution | C．responsibility | D．drive |
| A．house | B．life | C．organization | D．career |
| A．supports | B．impresses | C．recognizes | D．persuades |
| A．destination | B．plan | C．adventure | D．belief |
| A．familiar | B．flexible | C．meaningful | D．tough |
| A．prediction | B．admiration | C．expectation | D．evaluation |
5 . Although Mark Twain is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers, the world-renowned author once indicated that he would have preferred to spend his life as a famous Mississippi riverboat pilot. Though the comment was probably not entirely serious, Twain so loved life on the river that as a young man, he did in fact work as a riverboat pilot for several years.
Twain, whose real name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens, felt so closely tied to the Mississippi River that he even took his pen name, Mark Twain, from a river man’s call meaning “two fathoms deep.” When he was eleven, his father died, and he left school to become a printer’s apprentice. He worked as a printer in a number of different cities before deciding at age twenty-one to pursue a career as riverboat pilot.
When the Civil War closed traffic on the Mississippi, Twain went to Nevada. There he worked as a journalist and lecturer, developing the entertaining writing style that made him famous. In 1865, he published “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” which made Twain became an international celebrity. Following the publication of The Innocents Abroad, a successful book of humorous travel letters, Twain moved to Hartfort, Connecticut, where he was to make his home for the rest of his life. There he began using his past experiences as raw material for his books. He drew on his travels in the western mining region for Roughing It and turned his childhood experiences on the Mississippi into The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The latter title in particular so greatly influenced other writers that Ernest Hemingway praised it with these words.
“All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.”
Twain traveled widely throughout his career, and his adventures abroad were fuel for a number of books. After living in Europe for several years, he returned home with his family. Following the death of his wife and three of their four children, Twain’s writing depicted an increasingly pessimistic (悲观) view of society and human nature. His work, however, continued to display the same masterful command of language that had already established him as one of America’s finest fiction writers.
1. Why did Mark Twain prefer to be a riverboat pilot?| A．He was paid well. | B．He loved life on the river. |
| C．He missed the Mississippi River | D．His father wanted him to do the job. |
①An apprentice ②A printer ③A journalist ④A lecturer ⑤A riverboat pilot
| A．①②⑤ | B．②③④ | C．②④⑤ | D．①②③④⑤ |
| A．The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. | B．Roughing It. |
| C．Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. | D．The Innocents Abroad. |
| A．Humorous. | B．Ridiculous. | C．Inspiring. | D．Negative. |
6 . When I talk to kids about writing, I often compare it to the roller coaster (过山车) to remind them to mix laughs with tears in writing, because nobody wants to ride a roller coaster that’s a long, never-ending and terrifying one. Even Shakespeare, in his darkest tragedies, opens each act with a funny scene before the bad things come out. We need amusing relief in literature, a break in the tension (紧张).
I have always tried to write stories for kids that mix the heart-racing thrill of a mystery with a few jokes. Maybe this is because, when I was in the fifth and sixth grades, the fun magazine was my favorite reading material. When I first moved to New York City, I performed with one of the city’s top comedy (喜剧) groups. Comedy, I have discovered, is a great teaching tool. It is also a wonderful defense against fear.
One of my favorite e-mails I’ve ever received was sent to me in 2009 by a young reader who loved my stories. Here’s what he wrote:
Dear Mr. Grabenstein,
I just wanted to let you know that I really, absolutely love your books. I’m in 6th grade and recently finished The Hanging Hill after reading The Crossroads. Your stories mix action, humor and horror together in a perfect combination.
Thanks so much!
Will R
Comedy is a writer’s tool for releasing tension and it also simply makes books more fun to read. I used humor in my middle grade novel The Island of Dr. Libris to make classic literature feel more accessible to young readers. I also think it’s why so many reluctant readers — including kids who haven’t read a book in years — have been crazy about Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics. Learning the Dewey DecimaI System in maths class can be fun if it is presented in a funny way because when we’re laughing, we never think we’re working too hard.
1. Where is the text probably from?| A．A literature textbook. | B．An autobiography. |
| C．A writing guideline. | D．A writing outline |
| A．To prove a theory. | B．To explain a concept. |
| C．To support his opinion. | D．To introduce the topic. |
| A．Boring. | B．Effective. | C．Useful. | D．Simple. |
| A．Drama suit, a decoration for writing | B．Imagination, the soul of writing |
| C．Magazine, a guide for writing | D．Fun, the basis in writing |
Troublesome Homework
I stared at the clock in despair as precious minutes ticked by. It was one o’clock in the morning but I still had a lot of homework to complete. I was completely exhausted but I still had to carry on. Giving a great yawn, I leant back against my chair and rubbed my dull eyes that were tearing. Letting out a long breath of sigh, I got up to get myself a glass of milk from the kitchen. As I walked past my brother’s bedroom, I saw that my elder brother Jerry was not yet asleep. An idea struck me.
“What? You’re still awake at this hour?” Jerry exclaimed in disbelief when I entered his room. Throwing myself on his bed, I poured out my homework and chattered to him. Jerry listened sympathetically. As I ended with a sigh, he nodded and fell silent. I hesitated in conveying my request, searching for the right words to begin. “What else are you left with?” he spoke up finally. “One English composition and a set of mock examination paper. I was wondering...” Before I could even finish my sentence, Jerry offered, “I’ll complete them for you. I’ll leave them on your study table when I am done.” “Thank you!” I sprang up in bed, overjoyed with gratitude.
With the weight on my shoulder lifted, I drifted off to sleep once my head hit the pillow. The next day, I overslept. Knowing that my brother would not fail me, I did not check through the work at all just sweeping the paper into my school bag, grabbing some bread and rushing to the bus station. Upon arriving at classroom before the bell rang, the class was in mess with the endless complain of the tough homework. I was secretly glad and walked to my seat at a brisk pace. When teachers asked us to hand in our work, I submitted them with self-satisfied confidence.
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。
However, just when the school day was about to end, I was called to the teachers’ office.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Time dragging terribly, Mr Mackay remained quiet.
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On July 26, 2021, Team USA swimmer Katie Ledecky won the gold medal in the first-ever 1, 500-meter freestyle event for women, while the men’s event has been held
When the modern Olympics began in 1896, no women
In recent years, the IOC
9 . My nephew Tyden and I were playing at a local amusement center. It was the kind of
Tyden won top prize of tickets, so we went to
I needed to
He pulled the turtle out from behind his back and gave it to me. My eyes filled with tears and my heart
I held him tightly in my arms, and told him how much I
| A．place | B．park | C．gift | D．shop |
| A．borrow | B．make | C．select | D．deliver |
| A．happy | B．boring | C．pleased | D．sad |
| A．play | B．date | C．quarrel | D．meeting |
| A．noticed | B．caught | C．got | D．fed |
| A．center | B．turtle | C．store | D．showcase |
| A．money | B．points | C．tickets | D．choice |
| A．Unluckily | B．Happily | C．Surprisingly | D．Unexpectedly |
| A．lose | B．win | C．offer | D．exchange |
| A．found | B．companied | C．saw | D．left |
| A．excited | B．frightened | C．annoyed | D．disappointed |
| A．hurt | B．burst | C．stopped | D．broke |
| A．story | B．play | C．conversation | D．question |
| A．because of | B．instead of | C．more than | D．or rather |
| A．thanked | B．admired | C．respected | D．loved |
10 . Many young Chinese people suffer from image anxiety.
“How unfriendly is the world to unattractive girls?” became a popular hashtag on Sina Weiboin March. The hashtag resonated (引起共鸣) with many girls who shared their personal experiences.
“My nose is not high enough, my chin is short and flat, and my eyes are small,” Tang Yuqi, acollege student, told China Youth Daily. She doesn’t even answer the door without putting on makeup first. “I just can’t accept myself if I’m not wearing it,” Tang added.
But beauty doesn’t come from a makeup brush or a thinner waist. Growing taller and having perfect skin isn’t the solution to insecurity. The fact that every person is different is something to be celebrated.
A line from an episode of China’s first female monologue drama called Hear Her Says it perfectly: “I am not perfect. Perfection is mundane.
| A．I am perfect when I fully realize myself. |
| B．The fact that every person is different is something to be celebrated. |
| C．Some people even go through surgery just to achieve what they believe society considers “beautiful”. |
| D．When I was a teenager, I was always doubting whether my face was too big, whether my nose was too wide. |
| E．If you’re someone who looks in the mirror every day and concentrates only on any minor flaw, you’re not alone. |
| F．What promotes this anxiety among young people? |
| G．One internet user talked about how her friends would often cut her image out of group pictures because they thought she was too fat. |
