1 . A retired United States soldier named Terry McGlade, who had served in Iraq and Afghanistan, his dog Major is a hero. He is specially trained to says sense when McGlade is about to have a seizure, get his phone and dial 911 for help.

When Major had recently sensed an incident about to happen, and McGlade collapsed and hit the floor, Major was able to get to McGlade's phone, and more or less bite on the phone which is specially set up so that when multiple buttons are pressed and held in, it goes into emergency call mode, and dial 911.

“He was actually able to get my phone out of my pocket," McGlade said.

The 911 operators who got the call from Major said they never heard him bark or anything. However, they could hear what sounded like a confused man in the background, and did get quite suspicious after quite a few calls from McGlade 's cell phone kept coming in. Quite clearly, Major   was using his leg and also stepping on the screen to get the phone to díal for help.

After Major was sure someone would be on their way to help, he then made his way out to the front of the house to wait. When police and ambulance arrived, he led them into the house and right to McGlade, still in distress.

"I probably would have been in severe trouble if he wouldn't have called ," McGlade said.

McGlade was taken to the hospital, where he was kept overnight for observation, but thanks to his best friend, and now hero of the day, Major. He is feeling much better, and will make a full recovery with little risk of lasting damage from this particular incident.

1. How did Major manage to make the phone go into emergency call mode?

A．By keeping barking at the other side of the phone.

B．By sending a text message to the 911 operator.

C．By biting and stepping on the buttons of the phone.

D．By seeking somebody else nearby for help.

2. What do we know about the incident?

A．Major has made one call to the 911 center before the ambulance came.

B．Operators in the 911 center were confused by Major's calls.

C．Major guided the police and the doctor to the house to save McGlade.

D．McGlade has completely recovered.

3. According to the text, which of the following is the most suitable to describe Major?

A．Brave.	B．Calm.
C．Serious.	D．Smart

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．A Soldier's Life with a Dog.

B．How a Dog Saved Its Owner's Life.

C．Dogs Are Our Loyal Friends.

D．A Retired Soldier and His Dog.

2 . A study showed that the experiences children have in their first few years are important . These experiences affect the development of the brain. When children receive more attention, they often have higher IQs. Babies receive information when they see, hear and feel things, which makes connections between different parts of the brain. There are a hundred trillion(万亿)connections in the brain of a three-year-old child.

Researcher Judit Gervain tested how good newborns are at distinguishing different sound patterns. Her researchers produced images of the brains of babies as they heard different sound patterns. For example, one order was mu-ba-ba. This is the pattern"A-B-B". Another order was mu-ba-ge. This is the pattern “A-B-C”. The images showed that the part of the brain responsible for speech was more active during the" A-B-B"pattern. This shows that babies can tell the difference between different patterns. They also were sensitive to where it occurred in the order.

Gervain is excited by these findings because the order of sounds is the building block of words and grammar. "Position is key to language," she says. "If something is at the beginning or at the end, it makes a big difference: 'John caught the bear.' is very different from 'The bear caught John.'”

Researchers led by scientist Patricia Kuhl have found that language delivered by televisions, audio books, the Internet, or smartphones－no matter how educational－doesn’t appear to be enough for children’s brain development. They carried out a study of nine-month-old American babies. They expected the first group who’d watched videos in Chinese to show the same kind of learning as the second group who were brought face-to-face with the same sounds. Instead they found a huge difference. The babies in the second group were able to distinguish between similar Chinese sounds as well as native listeners. But the other babies －regardless of whether they had watched the video or listened to the audio－learned nothing.

1. What makes connections in a baby’s brain?

A．Having a higher IQ.	B．Experiencing new information.
C．The baby’s early age.	D．The connection with other babies.

2. What did Judit Gervain and her team find in the experiment?

A．Babies can identify different sound patterns.

B．Word order is relevant to meaning.

C．Babies can well understand different words.

D．A certain brain region processes language.

3. What does the underlined sentence mean in Paragraph 3?

A．Words have different sounds.

B．Different orders have different meanings.

C．Different languages have different grammar.

D．Grammar is important in learning languages.

4. What is the main conclusion from the study led by Patricia Kuhl?

A．Babies shouldn’t watch a lot of television.

B．Foreign languages help babies’ brain develop.

C．Listening to different languages develops babies’ brain.

D．Social communication improves babies’ brain development.

3 . Pigeons in London have a bad reputation. Some people call them flying rats. And many blame them for causing pollution with their droppings. But now the birds are being used to fight another kind of pollution in this city of 8.5 million.

“The problem for air pollution is that it’s been largely ignored as an issue for a long time,” says Andrea Lee, who works for the London-based environmental organization Client Earth. “People don’t realize how bad it is, and how it actually affects their health.” London’s poor air quality is linked to nearly 10,000 early deaths a year. Lee says, citing(引用)a report released by the city manager last year. If people were better informed about the pollution they’ re breathing, she says, they could pressure the government to do something about it.

Nearby, on a windy hill in London’s Regent’s Park, an experiment is underway that could help—the first week of flights by the Pigeon Air Patrol. It all began when Pierre Duquesnoy, the director for DigitasLBi, a marketing firm, won a London Design Festival contest last year to show how a world problem could be solved using Twitter. Duquesnoy, from France, chose the problem of air pollution.

“Basically, I realized how important the problem was,” he says.   “But also I realized that most of the people around me didn’t know anything about it.” Duquesnoy says he wants to better measure pollution, while at the same time making the results accessible to the public through Twitter.

“So”, he wondered, “how could we go across the city quickly collecting as much data as possible?” Drones were his first thought. But it’s illegal to fly them over London. “But pigeons can fly above London, right?” he says. “They live—actually, they are Londoners as well. So, yeah, I thought about using pigeons equipped with mobile apps. And we can use not just street pigeons, but racing pigeons, because they fly pretty quickly and pretty low.”

So it might be time for Londoners to have more respect for their pigeons. The birds may just be helping to improve the quality of the city’s air.

1. What can we infer about London’s air quality from Paragraph 2?

A．Londoners are very satisfied with it.

B．The government is trying to improve it.

C．Londoners should pay more attention to it.

D．The government has done a lot to improve it.

2. Duquesnoy attended the London Design Festival to _________.

A．entertain Londoners.	B．solve a world problem.
C．design a product for sale.	D．protect animals like pigeons.

3. Why did Duquesnoy give up using drones to fly across London?

A．Because they are too expensive.	B．Because they fly too quickly.
C．Because they are forbidden.	D．Because they fly too high.

4. Which can be the best title for the text?

A．Clean air in London.	B．London’s dirty secret.
C．London’s new pollution fighter.	D．Causes of air pollution in London.

4 . 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。

Sending gifts varies greatly from country to country. In Australia, Canada, the United States     1     European countries, sending gifts is     2    rare) expected. While seen as a nice gesture, it is very important to avoid giving highly personal gifts such as clothing. When     3    (visit) the home of a colleague from one of these countries, you should bring     4     appropriate gift to the hostess.

In America, expensive gifts are definitely out. A good     5    (choose) is to take the deserving person to dinner, or a sports event.      6     the contrary, gift giving is a     7    (tradition) custom in Japan. In Japan, the proper gift is considered     8    (express) the giver’s true friendship, gratitude and respect far better than words. If you plan to visit Japan or to have any Japanese visit you here, be prepared. Australia is known for     9     (it) friendliness and informality. So modest gifts, such as a diary, a paperweight, or a coffee cup might     10    (present) to a friend.

So next time you visit these places, remember to do as the Romans do while in Rome.

5 . Everyone wants to be happy every day, but sometimes we come across some problems which make us feel bad. There are a few ways that we can use to help ourselves to be happier every day.

    1    

When looking at your goals, remember to look at how far you have come towards achieving them. When you measure yourself against your goals, you will always have a negative feeling. When you measure yourself against where you started, you will be recognizing your achievements, and those deserve to be celebrated.

Make gratitude(感恩) lists.

Expressing your appreciation for what you have is an important happiness strategy.     2    . If you’re having trouble thinking of things, you may be thinking too small. You need to widen your view. You can think about nature: the trees, the sun and the sound of a running stream. You can also think about people: family and friends with whom you are grateful to have a relationship.     3    .

Help other people.

There are many benefits that come from helping others, whether helping someone you know or volunteering for a community.     4    . Studies have shown that people who volunteer live longer. Volunteering is also a great tool in the fight against depression because it’s easier to temporarily forget your problems when you turn your attention to the needs of others.     5    .

Use these tips in all areas of your life, and you will have a happier life!

A．You’ve probably heard this before.

B．We all have much to be grateful for.

C．Besides, it’s an extremely pleasing activity.

D．It’s one that is worth doing on a daily basis.

E．Measure your progress not your distance to the goal.

F．Be sure to make it a daily practice to celebrate your achievements.

G．Volunteering proves to be good for your health and your happiness.

6 . A blog posted Dec 7, 2018 at 12:17 PM by Alanna Mallon

Alanna Mallon is a Cambridge City Councilor.

Each year in November, I receive a flurry of emails and texts from friends who want to volunteer with their families on Thanksgiving as a way to give back. I also field phone calls from organizations who want to donate to local programs that provide Thanksgiving meals.

However, as an official who still works in the nonprofit sector, I also feel deeply anxious because I know the other 51 weeks of the year, these critical programs that provide food access to residents in need are starving for both volunteers and donations. Hunger is a year round problem, and each week volunteers are the necessary part to ensure that programs are able to serve the community.

At Food For Free, we rely on about 100 volunteers per week, and each of those volunteers is extremely important to providing fresh, healthy food to people in the Greater Boston area who need it. School children who take backpacks of food home on Fridays, community college students who rely on our Family Meals program to thrive in class, elderly and disabled residents who receive twice monthly deliveries of food to their doors through our Home Delivery program, — they all rely on us ensuring enough volunteers show up to do the work.

These volunteers don’t show up in your social media feeds, they don’t win awards and no one writes about them in the local newspapers. But they are heroes. And you can be too.

If everyone made a promise to volunteer once a month, or even once a quarter, I know that we could reduce some of the anxiety these organizations feel, as a more reliable volunteer network allows them to focus on helping people, not filling volunteer slots.

Here is a list of a few organizations who are doing critical work in Cambridge to address food insecurity. Offer your time to an organization, they will be deeply grateful—and I am going to bet that you will feel pretty good about yourself too.

Food For Free: http://foodforfree.org/volunteer.
CEOC: http://ceoccambridge.org/food-pantry.
Harvard Square Homeless Shelter: https://hshshelter.org/volunteer.
Community Cooks: https://communitycooks.org/join-us.
Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House: http://margaretfullerhouse.org
1. What can be learnt from the first two paragraphs？

A．The food safety worries the author.

B．Volunteers are needed all year round.

C．Donations can be made through the Internet.

D．People like getting together on Thanksgiving.

2. Paragraph 3 is mainly about ________.

A．the need for fresh food	B．the duty of Food For Free
C．the value of voluntary work	D．the difficult life of local people

3. The passage is to ________.

A．call for action	B．express thanks
C．advertise programs	D．introduce websites

7 . On average ,Americans spend about 10 hours a day in front of a computer or other electronic devices and less than 30 minutes a day outdoors. That is a claim made by David Strayer, a professor of psychology at the University of Utah. In his 2017 TED Talk , Strayer explained that all this time spent with technology is making our brains tired.

Using an electronic device to answer emails, listen to the news and look at Facebook puts a lot of pressure on the front of the brain, which, Strayer explains , is important for critical (有判断力的)thinking , problem-solving and decision-making.

So, it is important to give the brain a rest. And being in naure , Strayer claims , helps get a tired brain away from too much technology. More than 15,000 campers from around the world attended an international camping festival in September. That is when friends and family take time off and escape to nature for several days. They take walks, climb, explore , swim, sleep, eat and play. Camping may be just what a tired brain needs.

Take Carl for example .He lives in West Virginia and enjoys camping . He says that staying outdoors makes him feel at ease. It also prepares him for the work he must do. Kate Somers is another example who also lives in West Virginia. She says she enjoys camping with her husband and two children . She calls it a “regenerative” experience.

At the University of Utah , David Strayer has studied both short-term and long-term exposure to nature. He found that spending short amounts of time in nature without technology does calm the brain and helps it to remember better. However ,he found , it is the long-term contact with nature that does the most good. He and his research team found that spending three days in nature without any technology is enough time for the brain to fully relax and reset itself.

1. What is David Strayer’s opinion ?

A．Americans dislike outdoor activities

B．Electronic equipment should be quitted

C．New technologies are a double-edged sword

D．Electronic equipment brings great convenience

2. Why does Strayer insist we go outdoors?

A．To try another lifestyle	B．To refresh our brain
C．To make better decisions.	D．To play with our family and friends

3. What does the underlined word “regenerative” mean?

A．Reborn

B．Memorable

C．Remarkable

D．Tiring

4. Which is the proper title for the passage?

A．Electronic Equipment Harms the Brain

B．Good Rest Develops Good Memory

C．Tips on Using New Technologies

D．Being in Nature Is Good for the Brain

8 . Hiking is a great way to get active and reduce stress while you are exploring the city.Visit our page to find some of the best free walking tours across New York City.

Community Days at Conference House Park

Wednesday ,September 19, 2018          12:00p.m.---2:00p.m.

Enjoy new gardens at the Visitor Center. Explore and help repair the three self-designed gardens: vegetable, native plant, and sculpture. Experience kids crafts，adult art programs, Tai Chi and more in this lovely setting.

Position: Conference House Park, 298 Satterlee Street, Staten Island

Event Organizer: Conference House Park

Phone   Number: (718)227-1463

Contact   Email: john.kilcullen@parks .nyc.qov

Greenbelt on the Go

Tuesday, August 14, 2018     10:00a.m.---11:30a.m.

Join us for relaxing walks through our parks. Enjoy the pretty views of them, as we point out a few of the distinct features that make each park special. The length of each hike will be determined by the pace of the group. Registration is required.To register, please email naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org before August 14.

Position: Greenbelt Nature Center in Blood Root Valley, 700 Rockland Avenue at Brielle Avenue Staten Island

Event Organizer: Staten Island Greenbelt Conservancy, Greenbelt Environmental Education Department

Phone Number: (718)351-3450

Contact Email: naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org

Adult Afternoon Hikes

Wednesday, October 10,2018     1:30p.m.---3:00p.m.

Get familiar with the Greenbelt and local parks by hiking with other adults !You’re encouraged to bring small meals and drinks for the break time.

Position: Greenbelt Nature Center in Blood Root Valley, 700 Rockland Avenue at Brielle Avenue Staten Island

Event Organizer: Staten Island Greenbelt Conservancy, Greenbelt Environmental Education Department

Phone Number: (718)351-3450

Contact Email: naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org

The South Pole at Wards Point

Thursday ,November 15,2018     7:00a.m.---7:00p.m.

The three miles of nearby natural shoreline are a sandy beach. Shells ,rocks , and stones of every shape and size can be found here. Not to be missed are the park’s other attractions: acres of woodland ,four galleries, and five historic houses!

Position: Conference House Park Visitor Center in Conference House Park ,298 Satterlee Street ,Staten Island

Event Organizer: Conference House Park

Contact   Email: john.kilcullen@parks .nyc.qov

1. Which walking tour may attract people interested in Chinese culture?

A．Community Days at Conference House Park

B．Greenbelt on the Go

C．Adult Afternoon Hikes

D．The South Pole at Wards Point

2. What do we know about Greenbelt on the Go?

A．The length of the hike is settled

B．People will visit three distinct parks

C．It takes place in Conference House Park

D．Visitors need to register in advance

3. What do the four walking tours have in common?

A．They are all for adults.

B．They all charged no fees

C．They’re held by the same organizer.

D．They require visitors to bring food.

9 . Nearly 800 new pupils of Lianhua Elementary School in Hefei, Anhui Province, is reported     1    (receive) a unique gift: an admission letter     2     their names are written by teachers using Chinese writing brush.     3    (similar), Shaanxi Normal University has been sending their freshmen calligraphy admission for eleven years. Several former professors in     4     70s take about a week writing more than 4,500 admission letters every year.

It is believed in China that “handwriting is the man,”     5     (mean) good handwriting can not only cultivate one’s temperament (气质), but can also reflect one’s literacy and character. At present,     6    (tradition) calligraphy has again become a compulsory lesson in many Chinese primary and middle schools, which aims     7    (enhance) students’ cultural competence. At the same time, parents are attaching great importance     8     children’s calligraphy practice. It is fair to say that calligraphy is not left out in today’s fast-paced society;     9    , its incomparable value is standing out.

The charm of Chinese culture embodied in calligraphy can always strike a chord with writers and     10    (view). Do you have any interest in learning it?

10 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入一个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

One day, I was comfortably waiting for my flight with a good book to read when     1     elderly lady was wheeled to our waiting area. I noticed the trouble she was having     2    (try) to open a packet of nuts with her shaking hands. No one else was willing to meet her gaze (目光), so I     3    (offer) to help. The lady was very grateful. We sat and chatted. The time came to board the plane. She could walk but needed some     4    (assist), so I volunteered to help her and carry her bag.

As I helped her get     5    (settle), I noticed her “seat mate”, a businessman, looked a bit horrified at having to make the flight with her. He offered to change     6    (seat) with me — and I agreed. We had a long chat. As we were entering another country we needed to fill out forms. I offered to fill     7    (her) out because of her shaking hands. We landed and I needed to change planes, but I helped her first. The wheelchair she ordered was nowhere to be seen so we slowly walked to the gate     8     her daughter was waiting.

As a result, I had to run to catch my connection but, as I thought about the experience, I saw her     9     my airport angel, a chance for me to hope that in the future when I’m in my eighties and traveling, someone will take the time     10    (connect) with me.