| Dear headmaster, As president of Sullivan Junior High School’s student council, I have been chosen to write to you on behalf of the eighth grade class. We would like to propose an eighth grade promotion trip to Sea World in San Diego, California. We chose Sea World for several reasons. In science class, we have been studying oceans and the marine life. Going to Sea World would provide us with the opportunity to visit these creatures and to better understand their habitats. This could be a once in a lifetime experience for those of us who have never been outside Arizona. We will have lots of fun and learn at the same time. The close location of San Diego was also a factor in planning this trip. San Diego can be reached by bus in about six hours. If the buses leave Sullivan after school on Friday afternoon, we should arrive in California in time to have a late dinner and get settled into our hotel rooms before midnight. |
You may be asking yourself. “How will this trip be financed?” We are suggesting that the school host an “Oceans of Fun” night for family, friends, and community members for a small fee. The activities would be organized and supervised by eighth grade students. Some of our ideas for the night include a Surfer’s Snack Shop with homemade treats for sale, Pirate Pete’s Treasure hunt, and a short production of “A Whale of a Tale.” This would the best chance to show our ocean animal reports. Many of the eighth grade students have gone to school together since kindergarten. We believe that this trip would be a fantastic way to celebrate friendships. This trip may also be one of the last times we see our friends because students from Sullivan Junior High School attend four different high schools. We invite you to our next student council meeting on December 7, 2013, to discuss your thoughts and work out any concerns you still may have. Thank you for taking the time to consider our request for an eighth-grade promotion trip. Sincerely, Julie Martino |
1. Who has written this letter? What is she?
2. What idea has the author mainly expressed in Paragraph 4?
3. Why has the author written this letter?
4. Why does the author mention that many students have gone to school together since kindergarten in Paragraph 5?
2 . Recently, my husband and three kids were playing in the Mediterranean, swimming and floating in the picture-perfect sea. It was very beautiful in Majorca, Spain. The way the sun danced across the water and how the blue horizon was dotted with sailboats were such beautiful scenes. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
My husband and I always dreamed about taking our kids on a trip around the world. It was something we always wanted to do “one day”. It was one of the things we talked about when we imagined our life with the children.
Fourteen years later, we had three boys who were growing up faster by the day. It was time to make good on those plans. We spent dozens of hours discussing, researching and planning.
We had to learn how to “road school” our kids and arrange time off from work. We renewed our passports, and then packed our bags. We showed our kids the world. It was about experiencing the dozens of flights and trains and taxis together. We wanted them to learn all that we had learned ourselves, through our own travels as young adults.
But there was something more than that: What we really wanted is to slow down time. We wanted the days to last a bit longer, and the weeks to take their time. The years with our children are going too fast. We wanted to control our busy lives, and just be with our kids. We wanted a break from the daily morning timetable of making lunches, eating breakfast rushing out the door in time for school. We need a family time-out.
It was a wonderful two-month trip in Europe, full of wonderful moments. And when we looked back at our lives, I know we’ll be glad we did it. I know we’ll be happy that this is a part of the story of our family.
1. How do you understand “one day” in the 2nd paragraph? (no more than 10 words)2. How long was their trip in Europe? (no more than 5 words)
3. What does the underlined word “that” refer to? (no more than 10 words)
4. What’s the main idea of the 5th paragraph? (no more than 10 words)
5. Think about the trips you’ve taken with your parents. Do you have the similar feelings to the author? What did you learn from those trips? (no more than 25 words)
Jiuzhaigou is a very beautiful place. It is in the Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Region(阿坝藏族和羌族自治区) in Sichuan Province. Jiuzhaigou is a valley. It is more than 40 kilometers long. The green and golden trees, the high and multi-shaped mountains and the clear and colorful waters form the unique (独一无二的) beauty of Jiuzhaigou. The water of Jiuzhaigou is the soul of the beauty. There are more than 100 lakes of different shapes in the valley. These lakes have wonderful colors. They are called “haizi”, which means son of the sea. It is these beautiful lakes that make Jiuzhaigou a fantastic place. Between the forests and the lakes, there are nine Tibetan villages. The name Jiuzhaigou means Nine Village Valley.
Jiuzhaigou was discovered because of a panda rescue program. The pandas were once in danger because the bamboo there was blooming. When people came to rescue the pandas, they were surprised by the beauty of Jiuzhaigou.
In China, there is a saying which goes like this: No mountain is worth seeing after you have seen Mount Huang and no other body of water will attract you after you have visited Jiuzhaigou. The beauty of Jiuzhaigou cannot be described with mere words. The best way to enjoy this fairyland is to go there. See you in Jiuzhaigou.
1. What is the best title for the passage?(Please answer within 10 words.)2. Which sentence in the passage can be replaced by the following?
These beautiful lakes make Jiuzhaigou a fantastic place.
3. Fill in the blanks with proper words or phrase.(within four words)
4. How was the Jiuzhaigou Valley discovered?
5. Translate the underlined sentence in the passage into Chinese. (within 15 words)
Travelling is wonderful in many ways.
1. You' ll find a new purpose.
As you travel, you re exposed to new people, cultures and lifestyles. With all the newness in your life, you're also opened to new insights, ways of seeing the world and living, which often give people a purpose for their lives.
2. You'll appreciate your home more.
Each travel has its advantages. If you visit better countries, you may learn to improve your own.And if fortune carries you to worse ones, you may learn to enjoy your own. In some parts of the world, like India and Uganda, people don' t have as much access to clean drinking water. Travelling through areas like that really makes you appreciate what you do have.
3. You’ll realise that your home is more than just where you grew up.
As Lin Yutang said, no one realises how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow. The more you travel, the more you will realise that your home is much more than the town that you’ve grown up in. You will realise that your home is the world, and you become more conscious of how you can live and support one another.
4. You' ll realise how little you actually knew about the world
The world is like a book, and those who do not travel read only one page When you travel, you may notice that some of the things you’ve heard about the world end up being very different. You may also realise how kind and friendly strangers can be. They are even willing to take care of you with a place to sleep at night. Beyond that, you have the whole world to learn about with every place you discover, every person you meet and every culture you experience.
5. You’ll realise that it's extremely easy to make friends.
A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles. One of the first things I learnt from travelling is how easy it is to make friends. Something magical happens in how people can show up in a more honest and real way when they're out of their conditioned environment and open to express themselves without feeling judged.
1. What is the main idea of the passage? (no more than 10 words)2. How does travel make you appreciate your home more?(no more than 25 words)
3. The underlined expression "conscious of" can be replaced by “_______”.(2 words)
4. How do you understand the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?(no more than 20 words)
5. What do you think travel can bring you? Explain in your own words and give your reasons. (no more than 20 words)
Dressed in a dark blue waterproof jacket, outdoor shoes and a small backpack, 25-year-old Ye Tian tries to get in an abandoned coking plant (焦化厂) in Beijing.
An intern (实习生) for a German company in Beijing, Ye is among thousands of youth interested in city adventures, what they call “ urban exploration ” — “urbex” for short.
The aim of this trending hobby is to explore structures — usually abandoned ruins or hidden areas of the manmade environment.
Urban explorers are interested in these sites because they can understand cities from a different angle. Ye, for example, said he enjoyed the contrast between Beijing’s two sides.
“ Widely known scenic spots and historical sites can only reflect the bright side of the city, or what the city wants you to see,” Ye said. “ But abandoned places show you the past [that is] hidden deep in people’s memories.”
In the eyes of Pan Ran, who is in her early 30s and works in Canada, an abandoned building can also evoke the spirits of those who lived and worked there.
“ There are diaries and letters recording the owners ’ lives, ” she said. “And one time, I found a whole box of 8-millimeter videotapes of a family.”
Pan couldn’t watch the tapes at the site, as the power supply had been cut. She didn’t take them away with her either, as there is “a very important rule of urbex that you can't remove any souvenirs’ from a site”, Pan said.
While urban exploration can get people to extraordinary places that few have visited, it ’ s sometimes dangerous. Climbing up tall buildings and tip-toeing through abandoned structures can sometimes be a life-threatening affair.
Injuries and even death are not unheard of within the urbex community.
“In the beginning, I was pretty audacious and believed the riskier the places you go, the better photos you get, ” said Du Tianyu, 22. “ But that is not necessarily the case. After doing my calculations, I learned to stop when I reach the limit.”
1. According to the passage, what is Ye Tian’s hobby? (no more than 5 words)2. Why are some young people interested in places like the coking plant in Beijing?(no more than 15 words)
3. What is the important rule of urbex according to Pan Ran? (no more than 10 words)
4. What does the underlined word “audacious” probably mean in the last paragraph? (1word)
5. Would you like to take part in urbex of a city? Give your reason. (no more than 20 words)
Two years ago, I watched the film Everest, in which adventurers get stuck on the mountain during a snowstorm. I immediately knew I had to start climbing. It’s not the reaction most people have to that film; maybe I just needed more adventure in my life. And six months later, I climbed my first mountain, Mount Whitney, in California – North America’s highest peak.
In the summer of 2017, I decided to climb the highest peak in every European country.
Growing up in Sweden, I was encouraged by my father to be outdoors all the time, but I wasn’t a serious adventurer. I wanted to see if someone ordinary like me could climb mountains.
I didn’t do any preparation for the first mountain, which was Mount Elbrus in Russia. It was exhausting, but I thought I would get fit climbing the rest, and I did.
Climbing mountains is an experience that is hard to put into words. You are in a beautiful environment and, when you reach the top, you feel incredible. But you also have to climb down, which is when most accidents happen. I don’t climb mountains that I am not ready for, but each one I climb takes me to the next step.
I wanted to end the project at home, on Sweden’s highest peak (2,097 m). It has two peaks: the north is rocky, and the south is icy. So alongside my camera assistant, I climbed both while wearing a superhero suit. It didn’t feel as special as I’d hoped when I reached the top, but when I posted on Instagram, people started congratulating me, I felt proud.
In total, I spent about €50,000, which is double what I had planned, but I eventually climbed 61 mountains in Europe.
You have to work on your weak sides while climbing. I don’t like not being in control, but you cannot control anything on a mountain. It’s made me a better person. When you’re on a mountain for hours alone with your thoughts, it’s like meditation. It makes you so much stronger, physically, and mentally.
My goal now is always to have a mountain in my calendar. One day I will climb Mount Qomolangma when I’m ready for it.
1. What made the author start climbing? (no more than 15 words)2. How did the author feel after her first climb of her 2017 project?(no more than 15 words)
3. What’s the meaning of the underlined part in Paragraph 5? (no more than 5 words)
4. What does the author think of her mountain climbing experience according to Paragraph 8? (no more than 10 words)
5. How do you like mountain climbing? And Why? Please explain.(no more than 25 words)
A Tour in Singapore
July was a very wonderful month for me because I had a chance to go to Singapore.It was the first time I went to a foreign country.So I had a special experience.
As the old saying goes，“There is no best in the world，but there is better.” I knew it after I had been to Singapore.
Singapore is called “a Garden City”．The weather is warm the whole year.You can walk under the bluish－green(绿中带蓝的) sky with white clouds in it，and you will be intoxicated(陶醉的) with the sweet flowers and green trees and grasses.When you are having meals，a number of little birds will fly to your plate and share food with you.Singapore is a home for both human and animals.
The students in Singapore are talented.They are zealous(热心的)，polite，brave，united and healthy.In the process of making friends with them，we learnt a lot from each other，although we were from different countries and spoke different languages.
The most profound(深远的) thing to me is that the students from Human High School are honest.I still remembered the day that they had to write from memory.They didn’t look around though they sat next to each other.I think it was very good though it was a little thing.
This travel in Singapore made me know a lot.I will never forget it.
Questions：Have you ever been abroad? If so，can you say something about your experience?
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Patrick and Rachel Hugens have biked around the world. The Hugenses, who live in Boise when not on their bikes, are 25 months into their latest round-the-world adventure, scheduled to end in March. They've visited 36 countries on this tour, touching Europe, Africa, Asia and South America. “Traveling by bike is the greatest freedom," Rachel said via email. “You can see people's daily lives and can communicate with them.”
Rachel warns, “Cycle touring can become addictive.” Bike tourism is on the rise in the United States and around the world, according to the Adventure Cycling Association. The U. S. Bicycle Route System has grown 66 percent in the past two years and now has a presence in 24 states, including Idaho, and the District of Columbia.
Dennis Swift，secretary of the Southwest Idaho Mountain Biking Association, rode across the U.S. last year- from Seattle to Salem, Mass. Six people started the tour and three finished, riding 52 out of 56 days. They averaged about 60 miles per riding day. Swift also rode through the Basque Country with a group of Boise cyclists last year. He's planning to participate in a Virginia bike tour this year. “When you get older, your health is most important,” he said. “My mom had Alzheimer's disease. They say what's good for health is good for the brain, so riding is one thing to be first in my life.”
This is the third time that the couple have quit their jobs to tour. Rachel is a nurse; Patrick is an architect. Both regained their former jobs when they returned home in 2000 and 2007. They're uncertain what will happen this time. They've given themselves a chance to save extra money by going to work by bike and avoiding some bills that are basic for most ( cell phones, cable TV).“Traveling changes your view of money and what it can do for you,” Rachel said. “We've met some cyclists traveling long term. They have many reasons to spend wisely.”
“The fellow cyclists we meet mostly come from Britain, Germany, Spain, Holland, Australia or New Zealand," Rachel said, “It is so nice to see that people all over the world are friendly and welcoming.”
1. How many countries have the Hugenses visited on their latest tour? (不多于2个单词)2. Why does Dennis Swift ride bikes? (不多于2个单词)
3. How do the Hugenses save extra money for their bike tours? (不多于10个单词)
4. What is the passage mainly about? (不多于3个单词)
The Youngest Skier To The South Pole
On Friday December 9t"，a 16-year-old skier，Ameba Hempleman-Adams reached the South Pole with her father after skiing 97 miles and spending 17 nights on the ice. On the final day they skied 14 miles and afterwards Ameba said she felt“elated and tired" on reaching the South Pole.
“The biggest challenges were the freezing cold and eating only dried food.The best bit has been experiencing what Dad does on expeditions(探险).It's the first time I've been on a difficult long journey with him and now I know what it's like.The trip brought me closer to Dad，but I also had to put up with his snoring(鼾声)which was terrible.’， She added，“Would I do it again? I'm not sure. I'll have to think about that after a few nights' sleep!At times it's been really hard:I've got aching shoulders，and my back's been sore from pulling my sledge(雪橇)，I've got blisters(水泡)on my feet from the boots and I've got a cold burn on my nose from my sunglasses. ____43___ ”
She said the most extraordinary part of the trip had been the breathtaking scenery and the sense of isolation in the Antarctic landscape.“I've really missed my friends while I've been away and want to thank them for all their messages of support.”
Friends and relatives who posted comments on Ameba's expedition website paid tribute(致敬)to her positive attitude which , they said ,would be an inspiration to others.
Her father，David，said“Ameba has done amazing well. I'm proud of her.She showed real determination. She was tough and she pulled her sledge the whole way. It was a special experience to share those 97 miles with her.”
1. Who is Ameba Hempleman-Adams?2. What biggest challenges did she meet during the trip?
3. What kind of person do you think Ameba is?Give at least one reason.
4. Choose and copy the complete sentence that should be filled in the blank.
A Except for those，it's been a really good journey.
B As a result，I had to give it up to go any further.
C Therefore，the only person I could care about was my father.
“I was so excited and shouted loudly that there was a monster in the lake,” said Zheng.
Immediately Zheng took his camcorder(摄像录像机) and managed to record the whole process on film, but it quickly disappeared under the water.
Zheng said that when they climbed to the top of the mountain above the Tianchi Lake at about 10 am, it was covered with thick fog which suddenly gave way to bright sunshine. The glassy surface of the lake was perfect for taking photos.
In the one-minute film shot by Zheng, a black object could be seen appearing from the water in the same place three times. It stayed on the water for just a few seconds, before it finally disappeared.
“We were more than 1,000 meters away so it was difficult to see it clearly, but I would say what we saw above water was the size of the head of an adult ox. And I did notice that every time it appeared form the water, there were ripples (涟漪) on the surface of the lake.”
1. Where did the strange object appear? (No more than 9 words)
2. How did Zheng Changchun feel at the sight of the strange object?(no more than 3 words)
3. What could people see in the one-minute film shot by Zheng Changchun?(no more than 14 words)
4. According to the passage, what was the object like?(no more than 7 words)
