1 . A Book Review—The Snake-Stone by Berlie Doherty

The setting: Urban England (the cities), but also rural England (the countryside) including remote English villages.

The theme: The main theme is a teenage search of self-discovery, in this case the search for a mother from whom the hero was separated at an early age. Its other concerns are love, getting on with others, being persistent and courageous and trying to deal with doubts, troubles and worries. As the book moves to a close, James’ swimming coach says to him: “You are not like a kid obeying instructions any more. You are diving like a young man who knows where he is going.”

The characters: James is the hero of the story. He is a championship diver, and has a comfortable life with his foster parents (养父母). Yet he also has the qualities to take him on a long journey to find his birth mother. The other characters in The Snake-Stone, James’ parents, his diving instructor, best friend, the villagers, people he meets on his journey, are pictured realistically.

The turning point: The turning point in the story comes while James’ foster parents are away in London, and he wonders about the identity of his birth mother. The only clue he has is a fossil, “the snake stone” which she left behind along with a note on which she had written: “Take good care of Sammie.” It was written on a torn envelope with parts of an address still there.

The journey: Instead of going to London, James decides to find his birth mother. With help from his geography teacher, James sets out for the remote country village where his mother might be found. James has painful, challenging, but also humorous and happy travels. The mother he finally meets, Anne, has a minor yet powerful voice in the novel. He comes to understand why she left him at a stranger’s door fifteen years before. Although the meeting is not long, it leaves him with a feeling of completeness. As a journey of self-discovery, The Snake-Stone also provides its readers with a happy ending. Its hero says, on returning to his foster parents, “I was home.”

1. What is the main theme of the novel?

A．Life with foster parents.	B．Life in the world of diving.
C．A journey of self-discovery.	D．A travel around the country.

2. What do the coach’s words in Paragraph 2 suggest?

A．James is a successful diver.	B．James is an independent young man.
C．James is an outgoing young man.	D．James is a hopeful swimmer.

3. The snake stone in the novel is       .

A．a stone with an address on it	B．a fossil left by the foster parents
C．a gift from the swimming coach	D．a clue left by the birth mother

2 . 语法填空(在空白出填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。)

Cultural TV programs experienced a come-back at     1     start of the Chinese New year in 2017. Since its broadcast, the program, Readers,    2     (become) a hit. Broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV) over the weekend, it is bringing fresh     3     (enthusiastic) for literature in China. Readers set out to interpret the power and values behind     4     (tradition) Chinese culture. The weekly talk show, produced and hosted by the famous TV personality Dong Qing, invites people from all walks of life to read poems, essays and books they like or wrote. Readers has brought the almost-lost habit     5     reading aloud back into the public spotlight,     6     allows the audience     7     (appreciate) the beauty of language. The participants also     8     (active) share stories from their own life,     9     (explain) reasons why particular pieces touched their hearts or shaped their lives. In the show, poems can     10     (adapt) into songs. So far this program has been considered one of the most popular shows in China.

3 . How to be a better reader

Reading is an extremely important skill.    1     Here are some suggestions on how to be a better reader.

Know your reading purpose.    2     The kind of reading you do in class or for your homework is different from how you read a novel for pleasure in the summer vacation. If you know your reading purposes， you can choose the best reading methods.

Use all the information in the book. Good textbooks are well-organized with title subtitles， introductions， summaries or conclusions. Many books also have pictures with captions(说明文字).    3     Another aspect of good writing is that each paragraph has a topic sentence. If you concentrate on understanding the topic sentence this may help you to understand what comes next.

    4     You can't really expect to understand a difficult book if you are trying to read in the same room with the television on and your little brother distracting(使某人分心) you. The same goes for reading on the bus on the way to school. You can't expect to read a textbook and listen to music at the same time either. Try to find a quiet and comfortable place with good light， and your dictionaries and other materials nearby.

Use your dictionary wisely. A common mistake of ESL students is to look up each unknown word in the texts they are given to read.    5    It can even make understanding more difficult because by the time you reach the end of the paragraph you have forgotten what you read at the beginning! So use your dictionary wisely.

A．Choose the right time to read.

B．Choose a right place to read.

C．Look at all these first before starting to read.

D．But it takes a long time and can be very boring.

E．The wider your vocabulary is， the easier you will find your reading.

F．Reading is also an excellent way to improve your general English.

G．the way you read a book or a text depends largely on your reasons for reading it.

4 . Volunteer Chances for Teens

About Learning Buddies

Learning Buddies is an education program for K-5 students at the Beacon Hill, Columbia, Douglass-Truth, New Holly and West Seattle Library branches (分馆). Teen volunteers and kids read together, learn math and play educational games with support from librarians.

If you are a high school student who enjoys math, reading and helping kids succeed in school, please consider volunteering as a Learning Buddy. You will get service learning experience and earn(获得) community service hours for school.

Learning Buddies teaches kids once a week. Volunteer chances are offered at the following Library branches, October through December and March through May.

●Beacon Hill Branch: Tuesday, 4:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

●Columbia Branch: Thursday, 4:15p.m. to 5:45 p.m

.●Douglass-Truth Branch: Tuesday, 4:15 p.m.to 5:45 p.m.

●New-Holly Branch: Tuesday, 4:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.

●West Seattle Branch: Tuesday, 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Become a Learning Buddy

High school students must be at least 14 years old and live close to a Library branch that offers the Learning Buddies program.

You can ask for a volunteer application (申请书) and attend an interview at one of the following Library branches at least one month before the fall or spring Learning Buddies series.

● Beacon Hill Branch: call the Teen Services Librarian at 206-684-4711.

●Columbia Branch: call the Teen Services Librarian at 206-386- 1908.

●Douglass-Truth Branch: call Services Librarian at 206-684-4704.

● New-Holly Branch: call the Supervising Librarian at 206-386- 1905.

●West Seattle Branch: call the Teen Services Librarian at 206-684-7444.

1. Which number should you call if you want to volunteer on Thursday?

A．206-684-4711.	B．206-386-1908.
C．206-684-4704.	D．206-386-1905.

2. Students who want to become a Learning Buddy must__________.

A．be 14 years old or over

B．do well in all school subjects

C．live close to the kids being taught

D．be able to teach kids twice a week

3. Where does this text probably come from?

A．A travel guide.	B．A science report.
C．An invitation.	D．An advertisement.

5 . Restaurants play a major part in defining the characteristics of a city. They reveal the diversity of the place，the pace of the nightlife and the financial health. Beijing，a metropolis that is home to 20 million people，has tens of thousands of restaurants. Here are some special restaurants in Beijing.

Diaoyutai State Guest Restaurant

Traditionally，Diaoyutai State Guest Restaurant only served visiting dignitaries(达官贵人).But since 1980，it has opened to the public. It offers not only Chinese cuisine at its best but also secluded dining experience in an otherwise buzzing(嘈杂的) metropolis.

Location:No.2 Fucheng Road，Haidian District，Beijing

Cost:$222.01 per person

Heritage in Wanda Plaza

Heritage offers French cuisine，which is famous for its rich taste and subtle nuances. Location:Wanda Plaza，No.93 Jianguo Road，Chaoyang District，Beijing Cost:$ 125.49 per person

Kyoto Kaden Minokichi Kaiseki Ryori(怀石料理) in Pangu Hotel

Located in the only 7 star hotel in Beijing，Kyoto Kaden Minokichi Kaiseki Ryori is undoubtedly the most expensive restaurant in the city. Kaiseki is a traditional multi course Japanese diner. Kaiseki only uses seasonal ingredients and is prepared by master Japanese chef to reflect change of seasons.

Location:Pangu 7 Star Hotel，Beijing 27 Central North 4th Ring Road Chaoyang District，Beijing

Cost:$1159.29 per person

China Grill

People come for food but stay for the view. Situated on the top floor of a landmark building in the heart of CBD，China Grill offers an unparalleled view of Beijing landscape.

Location:66/F Park Hyatt,2 Jianguomen Wai，CBD，Beijing

Cost:$ 130.79 per person

1. What does the underlined word “secluded” mean in the second paragraph?

A．Fashionable.

B．Crowded.

C．Popular.

D．Peaceful.

2. What can we learn about Kyoto Kaden Minokichi Kaiseki Ryori?

A．It only served visiting dignitaries when first opened.	B．Its food is prepared by master Chinese chef.
C．It is the most expensive restaurant in Beijing.	D．It is located in Haidian District in Beijing.

3. What is special about China Grill among the restaurants mentioned above?

A．It is the only one that serves Chinese food.	B．It is the cheapest one of the four.
C．You can enjoy the view of Beijing when dining there.	D．It is famous for its rich taste.

6 . South Africa is the water-lovers' paradise. Whether you want to be by the sea, on the sea or even under it, there are countless ways to get your ocean experience. Almost all of them are located on South Africa's east coast, where the Indian Ocean keeps water warm.

Thompson's Bay, Ballito

Drive 40 minutes north of Durban to reach the unique coastal town of Ballito. Popular with holidaymakers, Ballito has a choice of pretty beaches---- and the best for swimming is

Thompson's Bay. This scenic cove （小海湾）is sheltered from the wind and characterized by its calm waters, interesting rocky outcrops and a fascinating geological hole-in-the-wall. There's a walled tidal pool for those who are nervous to swim in the open ocean, making this spot a particularly good choice for families.

Umhlanga Rocks, Durban

Located a 20-minute drive from central Durban, the resort town of Umhlanga is an upmarket getaway for vacationing South Africans and visitors in the know. The main Umhlanga Rocks beach boasts safe swimming waters and endless golden sands, again protected by lifeguards and shark nets. A paved walkway provides direct access to the town's beachfront shops, restaurants and bars.

Gonubie Beach, East London

The coastal town of Gonubie is seen by many as a suburb of East London, one of the largest cities of the Eastern Cape. Its picture-perfect beach offers great swimming areas in the open sea. The Gonubie River reaches the sea at this point, too, and offers an alternative bathing

spot on days when the surf is bigger than usual. All along the river's green banks. you'll find a series of shaded spots perfect for summer picnics and barbecues.
1. If you are planning a family trip to South Africa, which beach suits you best?

A．Thompson's Bay, Ballito.	B．Umhlanga Rocks, Durban.
C．Gonubie Beach. East London	D．Kelly's Beach, Port Alfred.

2. What's special about Umhlanga Rocks in Durban?

A．It is free for children.	B．Its target crowd is the rich.
C．It has a walled tidal pool.	D．It has pale brown sand.

3. When meeting violent waves on Gonubie Beach, you can .

A．go swimming in the open sea	B．go bathing at an alternative spot
C．go surfing in the open sea	D．go camping by the riverside.

7 .

The Best Way to See Singapore. See More for Less!

City Sightseeing $33/A, $23/C, FREE/T 24 hours of Unlimited Touring — 9 am to 6 pm Duration: 1 Day (unlimited rides) Attractions: Civic District, Orchard Road, Botanic Gardens, Little India, Chinatown & more along the City & Heritage routes It is easy to enjoy Singapore with the City Sightseeing open-top touring system. Spot an interesting place or sight? Simply hop off and walk around and you can continue the tour later by hopping on the next bus. With 1 bus arriving every 20 minutes, the City Sightseeing system links you to major sights, attractions and hotels! * Guests Helpline: 6338-6877

Coaster $33/A, $23/C, $2/T Daily: 9:30 am — 5:30 pm Duration: 60 minutes Ride the original Coaster! Hop on this craft for a sightseeing tour which covers both land and sea! * Free bus transfer; most popular tour; 1st and original Coaster; unique land & sea adventure * For More Information, call 6338-6859

Night Safari(旅行) $49/A, $33/C, FREE/T Tour Time: 6:00 pm — 10:00 pm Duration: 4 hours Observe the night activities of the 1,000 over nocturnal(夜行的) animals in the Night Safari – the world’s first wildlife night park, for an adventure you’ll never forget. * Free & Easy with 2-way bus transfer * For More Information, call 6338-6826

Flyer $53/A, $37/C, FREE/T Open Hours: Daily 9:00 am — 9:00 pm Duration: 30 minutes Feast your eyes on Singapore’s magnificent cityscape from a height of 165m on the world’s largest observation wheel. Get your cameras ready as you experience a 360-degree panoramic view of the city and the Marina Bay area. * Free bus transfer; free river transfer * For More Information, call 6338-3311

☆ A — adult, C — children (3-12), T — toddler (2 & below)

1. Which way is most suitable for Mary, who has one day to travel around Singapore?

A．Night Safari.	B．Coaster.
C．City Sightseeing.	D．Flyer.

2. If David and his 9-year-old son are both animal lovers, they had better dial ___________ for more information before their tour.

A．6338-6826	B．6338-6859
C．6338-3311	D．6338-6877

3. Mr. Smith is going to take his wife, his 13-year-old daughter and his 1-year-old son to Flyer, he should get at least ___________ ready.

A．$131	B．$90
C．$159	D．$143

4. Where is the material probably from?

A．Health magazine	B．Scientific report
C．Education journal	D．Travel guide

8 . Our library offers different types of studying places and provides a good studying environment.

Zones

The library is divided into different zones. The upper floor is a quiet zone with over a thousand places for silent reading, and places where you can sit and work with your own computer. The reading places consist mostly of tables and chairs. The ground floor is the zone where you can talk. Here you can find sofas and armchairs for group work.

Computers

You can use your own computer to connect to the wi-fi specially prepared for notebook computers; you can also use library computers, which contain the most commonly used applications, such as Microsoft Office. They are situated in the area known as the Experimental Field on the ground floor.

Group-study places

If you want to discuss freely without disturbing others, you can book a study room or sit at a table on the ground floor. Some study rooms are for 2-3 people and others can hold up to 6-8 people. All rooms are marked on the library maps.

There are 40 group-study rooms that must be booked via the website. To book, you need an active University account and a valid University card. You can use a room three hours per day, nine hours at most per week.

Storage of Study Material

The library has lockers for students to store course literature. When you have obtained at least 40 credits(学分), you may rent a locker and pay 400 SEK for a year’s rental period.

Rules to be Followed

Mobile phone conversations are not permitted anywhere in the library. Keep your phone on silent as if you were in a lecture and exit the library if you need to receive calls.

Please note that food and fruit are forbidden in the library, but you are allowed to have drinks and sweets with you.

1. Library computers on the ground floor _________.

A．help students with their field experiments

B．contain software necessary for schoolwork

C．are for those who want to access the wi-fi

D．are mostly used for filling out application forms

2. What condition should be met to book a group-study room?

A．A group must consist of 8 people

B．Three-hour use per day is the minimum

C．One should first register at the university

D．Applicants must mark the room on the map

3. A student can rent a locker in the library if he _______.

A．can afford the rental fee	B．attends certain courses
C．has nowhere to put his books	D．has earned the required credits

9 . Roger Rocka’s Dinner Theater

Prices

Buffet Dinner and Show on Thursdays and Sundays is $50 that includes coffee and iced tea but not desserts.

The Menu Table Service Dinner and Show on Fridays and Saturdays is $55. Again, that includes coffee and iced tea but not desserts.

We have Thursday& Sunday dinner shows of $47 for seniors. We offer a Thursday or Sunday evening show of $30 to kids aged 15 and under when accompanied by adult diners, and $36 to students aged 16-26.

We have show-only tickets with no dinner for $30. Whenever seats are available, we offer $16 show-only student rush tickets.

Here are the ways that you can buy tickets for a Roger Rocka's event：

Online

You can buy tickets to a performance, season tickets, and concert tickets online through this website. You can look through the calendar for a day that works for you and click “Buy tickets”.

At the box office

Our box office at 1226 North Wishon in Fresno’s Tower District is open from Tuesday to Sunday.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays: 10 a. m. to 5: 30 p. m.

Thursdays through Sundays: 10 a. m. until showtime at7:30p,m.or8:00p.m.

Closed on Mondays.

Order your seat

You can give us a call to (559)266-9494 or(800)371-4747 and a real live person will help you find the table you want at the performance you want. Single tickets for the 2nd Space Theatre can be ordered by calling the box office at(559)266-0660 or online at www.Tickets. gcplayers. com/andspace/.

1. How much should a 20-year-old student pay for a dinner show on Thursday?

A．$16.

B．$30.

C．$36.

D．$47

2. At the box office, you cannot buy a ticket at______.

A．10 a.m. on Tuesday	B．6: 00 p. m. on Sunday
C．11: 00 p. m. on Monday	D．5: 00 p. m. on Wednesday

3. This text is probably taken from a_______.

A．website

B．newspaper

C．research plan

D．business report

10 . Summer vacation is coming soon. To enjoy a relaxing holiday，here we’d like to share with you some of the best rock and jazz festivals. Although many Ukrainian(乌克兰的) music festivals were cancelled because of the bad financial condition，plenty remain for music lovers.

KrayinaMriy

When and where: June 20－21，Kyiv，Pyrohovo folk museum

Lineup (阵容): TNMK，Boombox，VopliVidoplyasova，Onuka

KrayinaMriy is an annual(每年的) rock music festival that promotes modern music. Besides music，the festival will offer dances as well as literary and theatrical performances and also playing of a traditional music instrument.

Alfa Fest

When and where: June 26－28，Lviv

So far all tickets have been booked，but a waiting list is available at www.alfajazzfest.com/buyticket. This yearly festival held in Lviv will be interesting for both experienced jazz lovers and jazz learners. The performers on the lineup come from Ukraine，Japan，Cuba and the U．S.

Koktebel

When and where: Aug.22－Sept.6，Zatoka village，Odesa Oblast

Koktebel Jazz is the biggest outdoor jazz festival.The Cinematic Orchestra，ParovStelar，Nino Katamadze，Bonobo，Submotion Orchestra，Billy’s Band were the GALA’S superstars in previous years. This year the list of festival’s participants and tickets prices still remain unknown but the organizers revealed(透露) that apart from good jazz，the guests will be offered music lectures and movie screenings.

Respublica

When and where: Sept.4－7，KamyanetsPodilsky，Khmelnytska Oblast

Folk music and street art festival Respublica will take place in Kamyanets，Podilsky，one of the most beautiful cities in the west. Kyiv Post staff writer NataliyaTrach can be reached at trach@kyivpost.com.Booking in advance can get a good discount.

1. Who are the text mainly intended for?

A．People enthusiastic about music.

B．People fond of travelling around.

C．Merchants able to make a fortune.

D．Musicians able to play various instruments.

2. What do KrayinaMriy and Alfa Fest have in common?

A．Their performers are all from Ukraine.

B．Their aim is to spread modern music.

C．They both offer other performances.

D．They are both yearly held festivals.

3. Which festival lasts the longest?

A．KrayinaMriy.	B．Alfa Fest.
C．Koktebel.	D．Respublica.