1 . We should never give up when we’ve challenged. The following three actresses have set a good example to us.
Sarah Jessica Parker
When Parker was little, she had to take up singing and dancing to help feed her big family.
Despite hard times, Parker’s mom encouraged her children’s interest in the arts. When Parker was 11 years old, the family took a trip to New York City, so Parker could audition (试演) for a Broadway play. The trip was a success—she and her brother were both cast, and then the family moved to New York. Parker continued to work hard and land roles, eventually becoming the title character of a famous TV show.
Emily Blunt
Before Blunt was nominated (提名) for Golden Globes and landing leading roles on the stage and big screen, she could hardly hold a conversation with her classmates: Between ages 7 and 14, Emily had a major stutter (口吃). But that all changed when one of her junior high teachers encouraged her to try out for the school play, which she thought was a totally unappealing (无吸引力的) thing at first due to the fact that she had such a hard time communicating. The teacher suggested she try accents and character voices to help get the words out and it worked. By the end of her teens, Blunt had overcome her stutter and went on to achieve the successful career she has now.
Shania Twain
Twain’s career actually began more out of necessity than raw ambition. Her mom and stepfather often couldn’t make enough to get by, so Twain started singing in bars to make extra money when she was just eight years old. She recalls her mother waking her up at all hours to get up and perform. Sadly, when she was 21, her mother and stepfather were killed in a car accident on the highway.
Twain put her career on hold to step in and take care of her younger brothers. Only when her youngest brother graduated from high school did she feel it was OK to head down to Nashville to pursue her career.
1. Why did Parker’s family go to New York City when she was 11?| A．Because a TV show was waiting for Parker. |
| B．Because Parker planned to learn the arts there. |
| C．Because Parker’s family wanted to travel there. |
| D．Because Parker could try out for a play there. |
| A．Excited. | B．Uninterested. | C．Angry. | D．Touched. |
| A．They helped support their family. | B．They had uncaring parents. |
| C．They wanted to become famous. | D．They had an unhappy childhood. |
Last week, our school
From this match, I learn that being
To sum up, a true winner is to a match what water is to a fish. It is not the result but the process
3 . The little boy with big brown eyes was waiting for us on the other side of the world. Ever since our adoption agency (收养机构) had
I thought I knew where the FedEx office was. I drove there as the minutes slipped away, only to find that the office was no longer
Suddenly, I was
It broke out the chances were good. Less than five minutes later, I saw a FedEx sign, and the truck made a turn into the parking lot. I had
Our documents went out that night. The truck driver
Miracles are always around us
| A．ruined | B．challenged | C．matched | D．reserved |
| A．gifts | B．letters | C．documents | D．postcards |
| A．locked | B．located | C．hosted | D．repaired |
| A．before | B．after | C．since | D．when |
| A．finding | B．choosing | C．describing | D．showing |
| A．Bored | B．Delighted | C．Disappointed | D．Relaxed |
| A．inspired | B．sentenced | C．appointed | D．dominated |
| A．kept up | B．put down | C．taken in | D．cut off |
| A．excitement | B．shame | C．surprise | D．obsession |
| A．ran | B．skipped | C．walked | D．followed |
| A．chances | B．wonders | C．doubts | D．promises |
| A．dust | B．dirt | C．tears | D．sands |
| A．just | B．never | C．exactly | D．immediately |
| A．free | B．meet | C．beat | D．accept |
| A．if | B．although | C．unless | D．until |
4 . This first day of school can be stressful for both parents and children. But for Connor Crites, an eight-year-old Kansas boy living with autism(自闭症), it was
Now, unfamiliar social
Bob’s mother, Courtney Moore, witnessed the
“
| A．also | B．even | C．hardly | D．yet |
| A．stepped | B．called | C．cut | D．gave |
| A．divided | B．prevented | C．separated | D．learned |
| A．howling | B．sighing | C．sobbing | D．considering |
| A．chances | B．adventures | C．prejudices | D．situations |
| A．obtain | B．handle | C．adopt | D．confirm |
| A．wandering | B．complaining | C．reflecting | D．struggling |
| A．principle | B．guidance | C．hesitation | D．method |
| A．obviously | B．surprisingly | C．regularly | D．deliberately |
| A．emotion | B．scene | C．aspect | D．atmosphere |
| A．owned | B．checked | C．took | D．posted |
| A．unexpected | B．unforgettable | C．unnecessary | D．unacceptable |
| A．terrified | B．moved | C．frustrated | D．embarrassed |
| A．Luck | B．Faith | C．Companionship | D．Courage |
| A．inspires | B．challenges | C．enhances | D．warms |
5 . Should we allow modern buildings to be built next to all the buildings in the historic area of the city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons for example, economic (经济的) reasons why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should you do then if a new building is needed?
In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own hometown of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate (影响) its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.
It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoiled (破坏) the area they have in. But the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative (保守的) and do not like change.
Although we have to respect people’s feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move things forward. If you always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different, even though that might be the more risky choice.
1. What does the author say about historical buildings in the first paragraph?| A．Most of them are too expensive to preserve. |
| B．Some of them are not attractive. |
| C．They are more pleasing than modern buildings. |
| D．They have nothing to do with the historic view of an area. |
| A．We should reproduce the same old buildings. |
| B．Buildings should not dominate their surroundings. |
| C．No one understands why people speak against new buildings. |
| D．Some old buildings have spoiled the area they are in. |
| A．destroy old buildings |
| B．put things in a different place |
| C．respect people’s feelings for historical buildings |
| D．choose new architectural styles |
| A．To explain why people dislike change |
| B．To warn that we could end up living in caves |
| C．To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas |
| D．To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings |
6 . Imagine, John Lennon’s most famous song was recently voted “Britain’s favourite song of all time”. It’s an idealistic song about peace and hope for a better world. ‘Imagine all the people living life in peace’. The song was a big hit in 1971 and again in 1981 Lennon was murdered in New York. It became a hit for a third time after the terrorist attacks of september 11th , 2001.
But who really wrote the song? Until recently the answer to this question was always John Lennon. But on a TV program this week, Lennon’s wife, Yoko Ono, spoke for the first time about how she in fact helped to write the song.
Ono said that the idea and inspiration (灵感) for imaging came from some of her poems that John Lennon was reading at that time. The poems began with the word ‘Imagine’. Ono said during the Second World War, my brother and I were terribly hungry. I imagined delicious menus for him and he began to smile.
In an interview just before he died, Lennon admitted that Yoko deserved credit for imaging. He said a lot of it came from her, from her book of poems. Imagine this, imagine that.
Ono said that some of the song was written when they were flying across the Atlantic, and the rest was written on the piano in their bedroom at their home in England. Ono said, “The song speaks about John’s dream for the world. It was something he really wanted to say.” Imagine became a popular song for peace activists everywhere.
In March 2002, the airport in his hometown of Liverpool was renamed John Lennon Airport. A sign above the main entrance has a line from Imagine ‘Above us only shine’.
1. What does the author say about the song?| A．Imagine a is closely related to Lenon’s death. |
| B．It’s the most popular song in the world. |
| C．It encourages listeners to use their imagination. |
| D．It expresses Lennon’s wish for world peace. |
| A．people’s smiles on their faces |
| B．his anger over World War II |
| C．his wife’s poems |
| D．some delicious menus |
| A．praise | B．attention |
| C．consideration | D．support |
| A．Why Was Imagine Written? |
| B．Who Wrote Imagine |
| C．The Reason Behind Imagine’s Success. |
| D．The Unknown Secret of John Lennon |
Li zi qi,
For a worldwide audience in the pandemic, her DIY videos have become
She is not known
Her videos are beyond materialistic ways to explain the nation or culture. Therefore, she has already become a major celebrity on the internet, inspiring people to return to
8 . All parents tell their children little white lies from time to time. For example, they always say, “Of course father Christmas comes down the chimney!” It is all part of the magic of childhood. However, there is one lie that’s bigger than all the others. It’s “I don’t have a favorite child”.
American writer, Jeffrey Kluger writes, “95% of parents in the world have a favourite child, and the other 5% are lying.” He may be exaggerating (夸大) the figures for dramatic effect, but scientific research shows that Kluger is not far off the truth, although every parent refuses to admit that they have a favorite child.
According to one recent study by the researchers from the University of California, which followed 384 sibling (兄弟姐妹) pairs and their parents for three years, 65% of the mothers and 70% of the fathers showed a preference for one of their children. As this study was among families that knew they were being monitored, there is a strong possibility the true figures could be significantly higher.
Generally, parents would say there is no favoritism in their families. But interestingly, a lot of personal stories from parents shows that they or their siblings were indeed their mother or father’s favorite children. It seems everyone knows favoritism exists, but nobody wants to put their hand up and say they are guilty of it themselves.
Another research suggests that mothers do tend to show a preference for their first-born son, while fathers often choose their youngest daughters as their favorite. Parents will often be drawn to the child who is easiest to get along with, or the child that share similar features to them. For example, mum will have a special bond with their sensitive, arty son while dad focuses attention on his sporty daughter.
Professor Scott says being least favoured in a family can colour our behaviour as adults. “Children who feel they are less loved within their family are more likely to develop anxiety, depression and low self confidence.” But some experts believe being less favoured can have positive consequences. Professor Scott agrees that favored children can sometimes find life difficult when they have to live in the real world without their parents.
1. The passage mainly tells the readers about _______________.| A．parents’ preference for their children |
| B．different ways of raising children |
| C．people’s love for their parents |
| D．parents’ influences on their children |
| A．There was no father Christmas or chimney at all. |
| B．People remember the magic of their childhood. |
| C．Parents really want to lie to their children. |
| D．Few parents admit they have a favorite child. |
| A．The son who shares similar features with his father. |
| B．The most beautiful youngest girl in the family. |
| C．The son who loves art and has a sensitive feeling. |
| D．The daughter who plays basketball very well. |
| A．His behavior as an adult will be affected. |
| B．He will have a colorful life in the future. |
| C．He will become more confident. |
| D．He will find that life is difficult. |
Organized by Beijing Normal University, an important forum (论坛) on the spirit of the Chinese women’s volleyball team
Giving nice speeches,
Cheng Jianping, the Party chief of Beijing Normal University, said in his speech that women’s volleyball has influenced people
10 . A gentleman lost his family when young. He was homeless and went to the local
Every winter I would get nervous for him and other
Our friend was buried in our local cemetery(墓地). The only people that
| A．hospital | B．factory | C．church | D．government |
| A．free | B．broken | C．closed | D．open |
| A．hope | B．desire | C．ambition | D．attitude |
| A．expected | B．knew | C．forgot | D．blessed |
| A．selfless | B．hopeless | C．careless | D．homeless |
| A．enough | B．storage | C．donation | D．lack |
| A．best | B．worst | C．least | D．most |
| A．apartment | B．workplace | C．tent | D．yard |
| A．moved | B．excited | C．frightened | D．tired |
| A．impatiently | B．freely | C．nervously | D．soundly |
| A．helped | B．covered | C．filled | D．showed |
| A．inspired | B．quiet | C．awake | D．warm |
| A．experience | B．survive | C．waste | D．celebrate |
| A．came | B．formed | C．left | D．missed |
| A．nothing | B．anything | C．something | D．everything |
