1 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

One act of kindness is leading to another. And as kindness     1     (pass) to another, new friendships are forming and existing ones are strengthening.

My elderly neighbor called my daughter and me     2     (pick) fruits from her tree as the fruits were high and it was required to step on a huge ladder to get them. After an hour spent     3     (chat) and picking the fruits, she treated us to a glass of fruit juice.     4     addition, she gave us plenty of fruits to hand out to     5     (we) friends.

I then gave them to three other senior friends of mine. One of them gave me a hot tomato soup. I tasted it. It was so delicious     6     I couldn't help asking her about it. She told me that her mom and grandma were both top     7     (cook) and she learned it from them when she was helping them in her youth.

This was     8     (total) unexpected and interesting to know. Besides, she invited me again and agreed that we would prepare the dish together,     9     was the best part of all. I feel very     10     (thank) for these friendships and connections. Kindness and friendship always go hand in hand.

2 . Belly fat（stomach fat） has long been thought to be especially bad for your heart, but now, a new study adds more evidence to the idea that it may also be bad for your brain.

The study, from the United Kingdom, found that people who were overweight and had a high waist — to — hip ratio （a measure of belly fat） had slightly lower brain volumes （容量），on average, compared with people who were just over weight or had a healthy weight. Specifically, belly fat was connected with lower volumes of gray matter, the brain tissue （组织）that contains nerve cells.

“Our research looked at a large group of people and found obesity （肥胖）,specifically around the middle， may be linked with brain shrinkage （萎缩），” lead study author Mark Hamer, a professor at Loughborough University, said in a statement.

Lower brain volume， or brain shrinkage， has been linked with a higher risk of memory recession， which leads to being forgetful.

The new findings, published on Jan. 9 in the journal Neurology ， suggested that the combination of obesity （as measured by body mass index, or BMI） and a high waist—to—hip ratio may cause brain shrinkage.

However, the study found only a connection between belly fat and lower brain volume, but couldn't prove that belly fat actually caused brain shrinkage. It could be that people with lower volumes of gray matter in certain brain areas are at a higher risk of obesity. Future studies are needed to find out the causes for the connection.

1. What can we infer about belly fat from the new study?

A．Belly fat may have a bad influence on our brain.

B．Belly fat can help increase brain volumes.

C．Belly fat affects people's diet.

D．Belly fat is bad for our eyes.

2. Who most probably suffer from brain shrinkage according to the new study?

A．A tall and thin man.

B．A man with too much belly fat.

C．A short and thin man.

D．A man with normal body weight.

3. What does the underlined word “recession” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Going ahead.	B．Getting poor.
C．Getting active.	D．Going around.

4. What do the researchers need to study further according to the text?

A．The real cause of getting obesity.

B．The danger of getting too much fat.

C．The bad effect caused by belly fat and brain shrinkage.

D．The reasons for the connection between belly fat and brain shrinkage.

3 . We will all probably know both some introverts （内向的人）and extroverts （外向的人）in life, and yet we can gain a wrong impression about both types of people. For example, some introverts can be extremely confident and they can be able people. However, some extroverts aren^’t as confident as they'd like to appear to be and often try to hide their true identities behind a false appearance.

Shyness can affect both introverts and extroverts and anybody else too. It can be very debilitating （使衰弱的）and, if severe, can have a huge negative influence upon our ability to form meaningful relationships and it can also affect our careers or jobs.

A lot of people feel shy because they have low self-respect and feel unworthy when comparing themselves to others. They find it difficult to communicate with others whom they don't know. In that case, one of the best ways of overcoming the shyness is to focus the attention on the other person instead. Shy people can try changing people's focus on someone else， so that they don't need to talk about themselves too much.

If you recognize that you are shy and see that as a lion in the way of enjoying your life. you should first overcome it by accepting that it's causing a problem for you. Trying getting into conversations with strangers is helpful. Shy people are challenging themselves and over- coming their shyness. In this way, shy people can get their own self-respect. Each time they do it, this will be repeated until they feel confident enough.

Like any negative thought， determination can also help you beat shyness and having a positive attitude is the key to overcoming the shyness.

1. What does the author intend to tell us in paragraph 2?

A．The difference between introverts and extroverts.

B．The relationship between ability and shyness.

C．The harmful effects of shyness.

D．The cause of shyness.

2. Why do people feel shy when communicating with others?

A．They are afraid of learning from others.

B．They are often made fun of.

C．They are short of confidence.

D．They have to talk too much.

3. What does the author advise shy people to do to overcome shyness?

A．Do sports as much as they can.

B．Listen to the voice in their heart.

C．Have a good talk with their parents.

D．Keep a strong belief in supporting themselves.

4. What's the best title for the text?

A．How to Overcome Shyness

B．Tips of Expressing Shyness

C．How to Understand Introverts

D．Tips of Talking with Extroverts

4 . Warren Edward Buffett was born on August 30, 1930. As the second oldest kid in his family, he has two sisters. He showed an amazing talent （天资)for both money and business at a very early age.

At the age of six, Buffett bought six-packs of Coca-Cola from his grandfather's store for twenty-five cents and resold each of the bottles for five cents. While other children of his age were playing, Buffett was making money. Five years later, Buffett took his first step into the world of high finance (金融).

At eleven years old, he bought three shares (股票)of Cities Service Preferred (CSP) at $ 38 per share for both himself and his sister, Doris. Shortly after buying them, the shares fell to just over $ 27 per share. Though Buffett felt frightened, he held his shares until they went up to $ 40. He immediately sold them—a mistake he would soon come to regret, because each share of the CSP went up to $ 200. The experience taught him that investing (投资)needed time and a patient wait.

In 1947, Buffett graduated from high school when he was 17 years old. It was never his plan to go to college. He had already made $ 5,000 by delivering newspapers. His father had other plans and strongly advised his son to attend the Wharton Business School at the University   of Pennsylvania. Buffett only stayed there for two years, saying that he knew more than his professors. He returned home and went to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Despite working full-time,he managed to graduate in only three years. Buffett approached graduate studies with the same resistance he displayed a few years earlier. He was finally persuaded to apply to Harvard Business School,which refused him because he was too young. Buffett then applied to Columbia University, where he got an experience that would forever change his life from famous investors Ben Graham and David Dodd.

1. What do we know about Buffett?

A．He showed a natural ability to do business in childhood.

B．He was born in a poor but loving family.

C．He often made mistakes during his childhood.

D．He didn't get along well with his sisters.

2. What did Buffett learn from his experience of buying CSP shares?

A．Investment needs patience.

B．Regretting is useless in the investment.

C．Experience is valuable for investment.

D．Mistakes are unavoidable during the investment.

3. Why did Buffett leave the Wharton Business School?

A．He wanted to help his grandfather.

B．He was not satisfied with his professors.

C．He preferred the university in his hometown.

D．He showed he was unwilling to make friends there.

4. What's the last paragraph mainly about?

A．Buffett's interest.

B．Buffett's family.

C．Buffett's education.

D．Buffett's working experience.

5 . If you want to find a book for your children, here are some books that you can choose from.

Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation by Stuart Gibbs

The CIA is on a task to find an equation （方程式），which could destroy the world if the bad people get it. For help，they turn to Charlie, a 12-year-old girl who is as smart as Albert Einstein. Children who like exciting mysteries will enjoy reading this book.

AstroNuts by Jon Scieszka and Steven Weinberg

In AstroNuts , the Earth has been destroyed by humans for thousands of years. Four animals set out from Mount Rushmore， the main office of NASA. Their task is to find a new planet fit for human life. Finally, they discover one： Plant Planet. The story's topic is simple： Don't harm the planet. Readers who love science fiction （科幻小说）will enjoy AstroNuts.

Stargazing by Jen Wang

Christine hears that Moon, who is new in town, is the kind of kid who beats people up for fun. But Moon and her mum come to live with Christine's family, and the two kids become best friends. Moon even shares a big secret with Christine. Stargazing is based on Jen Wang's experiences as a child. The story is about the power of friendship.

Roll with It by Jamie Sumner

Roll with It is a story about a 12-year-old girl named Ellie. She has difficulty walking on her own and uses a wheelchair. When Ellie and her mum move to another state to take care of Ellie's grandpa, she must learn to deal with a new school and new friendships. This book is a must-read for everyone. It's a heartwarming story that really shows the value of family.

1. Which of the following encourages readers to protect the Earth?

A．Stargazing.

B．AstroNuts.

C．Roll with It.

D．Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation.

2. What's special about Stargazing ?

A．It mainly discusses animals' stories.

B．It includes much scientific knowledge.

C．It is mainly about how to make friends.

D．It is connected with the author's own experiences.

3. What can we learn about Ellie?

A．She doesn't want to go to another state.

B．She has trouble communicating with others.

C．She is carefully looked after by her grandpa.

D．She has to solve problems faced in a new place.

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Fourteen years ago, Wu Jingxun started visiting the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture (自治区), Sichuan Province.    1     his surprise, the volunteer found not a single book was in any family in a village. There were only several magazines     2     (leave) by tourists in the local primary school.

“There     3    (be) no other reading material besides those magazines     4     covers had been worn out,” recalls Wu.

After that, Wu donated many books, including picture books that won the Caldecott Medal, to the primary school. One year     5     (late), when he revisited the school, he was shocked to find the children's favorite books were Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf and Boonie Bears.

“That showed children in the village were not     6     (interest) in reading and didn't know how. Even if you offered them great books, they just went through the picture books without gaining any     7     (impress),” Wu says. “If they can take up reading as     8     habit, they can benefit more. They can read in their free time rather than watching TikTok on their phones.”

By now, thousands of books     9     (donate) to the Liangshan Yi autonomous prefecture to promote reading and to teach children how to read,     10     (particular) in poor villages.

7 . “The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence（篱笆）.”That’s an old saying in English. It means that other places often look better, more interesting than the place where you live.“Let’s go to KFC for dinner and then watch some Japanese cartoons!”We all know it: more and more Chinese kids love American and Japanese food and movies. Some people worry that young Chinese are beginning to feel that way. They see young Chinese ignoring Chinese culture and, instead, buying Japanese cartoon books, watching Korean soap operas and even celebrating western holidays.

Foreign books and soap operas are good, but Chinese writers and actors are just as good. As for holidays, Christmas is nice, but it can never have the meaning for Chinese that the Spring Festival has, and the West has nothing to compare with the Mid-Autumn Festival. China has lots of cool things in its culture: calligraphy, Beijing Opera, quick meals on the streets, and even Jay Chou! And let's not forget the part of Chinese culture I like best: its friendliness. Not all countries are as warm as China.

It’s good to enjoy other cultures and to learn from them, but they can never replace your own culture. It’s good to look on the other side of the fence, but make sure you take a good long look. You will find that the grass isn’t always greener.

Although some people become worried about that, I don’t think they should. Will we get more powerful without learning from other countries? Will Chinese people live more happily without American fast food? Besides, it's fun to learn about different cultures. Chinese kids can learn about other cultures and have fun, but they also need to learn more about their own culture. Be proud of Chinese culture and of being Chinese!

1. The author thinks young Chinese ________.

A．are ignoring our own culture	B．are foolish in learning our own culture
C．are interested in our own culture	D．are hating our own culture

2. In some young Chinese’s eyes, which of the following is not the “greener grass”?

A．Japanese cartoon books.	B．Korean soap operas.
C．The Mid-Autumn Festival.	D．Christmas.

3. In the author's opinion, what is the best feature of Chinese culture?

A．Hard-working.

B．Friendly.

C．Brave.

D．Honest.

4. What is the best title for the passage?

A．Chinese culture and western culture	B．Simple young Chinese
C．Interesting western culture	D．That grass is not always greener

8 . I had to work as a substitute teacher (代课老师) before finding a full-time teaching job. One day, I _________my first substitute job at a school. The _______ said that I had to arrive at school at 8:00 am when I would sign in.

As it was my _______ day at this school, I made sure of leaving plenty of _______ to get to school. I got up early so I _______ at the school at about 7:50 am. I sat in my car for ten minutes playing with my phone to _______ time. Then I walked into the teaching building and up to the reception (接待) desk at 8:00. When I told the receptionist my _______ , she shouted at me for being _______ and said that the headmaster was managing the class until I _______.

I said the email I received ________ told me to arrive at school at 8:00, but the receptionist said what I said was a(n) ________. I finally gave up trying to ________ with her, went up to the classroom, and took over the class from the ________.

During the ________, I was sitting in the office when the headmaster ________ and asked why I was late. I ________ that the email had given the wrong information. He said that even though that was what the email said, I ________ should have gotten to school before 8:00 am because that’s what ________ people do, in case something unexpected might happen.

The headmaster’s ________ had a strong influence on me, and then I ________ to become a smart person. Since then I have never been late for school.

1.

A．created

B．lost

C．did

D．got

2.

A．email

B．pack

C．call

D．report

3.

A．busy

B．big

C．first

D．hard

4.

A．power

B．time

C．money

D．space

5.

A．arrived

B．taught

C．pointed

D．shouted

6.

A．set

B．check

C．save

D．kill

7.

A．survey

B．number

C．name

D．address

8.

A．polite

B．careless

C．strong

D．late

9.

A．gave in

B．looked around

C．showed up

D．dropped out

10.

A．clearly

B．repeatedly

C．openly

D．usually

11.

A．trap

B．result

C．excuse

D．fact

12.

A．agree

B．argue

C．go

D．compare

13.

A．guard

B．student

C．professor

D．headmaster

14.

A．rest

B．training

C．study

D．meeting

15.

A．stopped

B．escaped

C．entered

D．laughed

16.

A．remembered

B．explained

C．guessed

D．hoped

17.

A．only

B．still

C．even

D．almost

18.

A．funny

B．honest

C．kind

D．clever

19.

A．spelling

B．words

C．suffering

D．books

20.

A．decided

B．happened

C．failed

D．refused

9 . Social media is often a collection of highlights of people’s lives rather than a true reflection of reality. Although it can be a great tool to keep up with the lives of our friends, families and celebrities, it can also be pretty damaging as we judge our lives in comparison to those we see online.

One woman shared her experience which showed exactly why we shouldn’t believe everything we see on social media. After heading to the pool, Jen watched as a young mum and her daughter entered, dressed in swimming suits. The mum took a few selfies (自拍) with her child. Jen said the young girl then asked if they could get into the pool but was told to wait while her parent took a photo of her in front of the pool.

“Mama glanced over at her but never got off the phone,” Jen wrote. “After 10 minutes mama ended her call, and then they left the pool. I sat there thinking about what I’d witnessed for a while afterwards. I imagined the photos she took being perfectly edited and posted so social media with a caption like ‘Pool time with my girl!’ ”

Jen then thought about another mum at home, in a messy house, tired because she’s spent her day cooking, caring, cleaning and playing with her children. “She’s going to look at that photo and she is going to compare herself to the ‘perfect mama’ at the pool. She’s going to feel like a failure. She’ll never know that how she spent her time that day was so much better in her children’s eyes than that ‘perfect mama’ at the pool.” Jen wrote.

What we see on social media isn’t always real. Sometimes, and often, it’s a complete set-up. Jen later added that she in no way intended to judge the mum for her actions or her reasons for doing it, but simply wanted to say that the edited photos we see on social media “are not a full depiction of real life”.

1. What can we learn about the young mum at the pool?

A．She was very familiar with Jen.

B．She didn’t swim in the pool at all.

C．She liked editing the photos of her daughter.

D．She was accompanying her daughter attentively.

2. What does Jen think of the mum in a messy house?

A．She does a good job as a mum.

B．She dislikes photos on social media.

C．She loves exploring the true story of a photo.

D．She is not so good as the “perfect mama”.

3. What does the underlined word “depiction” in the last paragraph mean?

A．Description.	B．Comparison.
C．Imagination.	D．Qualification.

4. What does the author want to convey in the text?

A．Real life depends on social media.

B．Be yourself when using social media.

C．Social media is affecting our real life.

D．What we see on social media doesn’t reflect real life.

10 . Those who are concerned that robots are taking over the world can rest easy—for now. Though the androids have proved useful at performing ordinary tasks, they are not ready for the greatest time. At least that appears to be the case at Japan’s Henn-na Hotel chain where over half of the robot staff are being replaced by humans.

The first location of the unique hotel opened in July 2015 was at Nagasaki’s Huis Ten Bosch Theme Park. The hotel’s owner, Hideo Sawada, promised the hotel to be managed primarily by robots. Guests were greeted and checked-in by a dinosaur robot, while a cute android called Churi, placed inside each room, provided information about attractions. Not surprisingly, the lodging, recognized in 2016 as the world’s first robot-staffed hotel by Guinness World Records, drew in curious visitors from all around the world.

But as the years have passed, the hotel’s main draw is becoming less novel and more unsatisfactory. Also as the robots are “aging”, they are costing more to repair. Among the 283 androids being replaced are the chain’s two dinosaur receptionists. In addition to scaring young guests, they are also unable to photocopy guests’ passports, forcing human employees to step in each time. Also out are the cute Churi robots, which annoyed guests by interrupting their conversations. For example, one guest told The Wall Street Journal that Churi mistook his snoring for a command and kept asking him to repeat his request all night.

Sawada told The Wall Street Journal, “When you actually use robots you realize there are places where they aren’t needed—or just annoy people.” While Sawada may be cutting back on his use of androids, the recently-opened Smart LYZ Hotel and the Fly Zoo Hotel in China, are run entirely by robots, with not a human in sight. Whether the employees have more competence than those “hired” by the Henn-na Hotel chain remains to be seen.

1. What makes Japan’s Henn-na Hotel unique?

A．Its robot employees.	B．Its advanced equipment.
C．Its convenient location.	D．Its successful management.

2. What is the author’s purpose with the example in paragraph 3?

A．To entertain readers.	B．To prove Churi’s drawback.
C．To introduce Churi’s functions.	D．To persuade people not to book the hotel.

3. What does the owner of Japan’s Henn-na Hotel think of his robot staff now?

A．Attractive.	B．Costly.
C．Pioneering.	D．Disappointing.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Robots Are Taking Over the World.

B．The Boom of Robots-staffed Hotel.

C．Robot Staff Are Fired For No Competence.

D．The First Robots-staffed Hotel Won Guinness World Record.