1 . In the 17th century when a British businessman heard that there were one hundred million people in China, he was determined to go there and sell spoons. He thought even if he could earn one penny for one spoon, he would still make a lot of money.
Then, why do the Chinese people use chopsticks? Some people did research on the origin of China’s chopsticks. One theory is that chopsticks were very convenient for Chinese to use because China was an agricultural society, relying mainly on vegetables for food. When we steamed or boiled food, it was difficult for us to use spoons to dip vegetables in the soup.
Chopsticks reflect gentleness and kindness, the main moral teaching of Confucianism.
Today, chopsticks have become a typical part of Chinese culture, symbolising the power of unity.
| A．As a result, spoons were designed and preferred by Westerners. |
| B．But to his surprise, the Chinese people use chopsticks, not spoons. |
| C．Therefore, Chinese people cleverly invented chopsticks to pick food. |
| D．Besides, never point at people with your chopsticks while using them. |
| E．Indeed, one chopstick is useless and so delicate that it can be broken readily. |
| F．So these virtues have gradually become the rules people follow in their daily life. |
| G．There are some rules about using chopsticks that you should pay great attention to. |
2 . Sam and Lightning
Twenty-one years ago, my husband gave me a dog named Sam. Later, when we were in New Jersey, our neighbor asked us if we would like a cat. We were a little
At first, Sam and Lightning were very cautious of each other and kept their distance. Slowly, however, Lightning started to
But one day, without any warning, Sam died of a heart attack at the vet's and I had to walk back to our house
As the weeks went by, the cat's
| A．worried | B．pleased | C．annoyed | D．surprised |
| A．shy | B．active | C．quiet | D．silent |
| A．pull | B．touch | C．knock | D．follow |
| A．went out | B．stood up | C．joined in | D．broke away |
| A．smell | B．see | C．tell | D．ask |
| A．hospital | B．house | C．nest | D．family |
| A．alone | B．together | C．cheerfully | D．quickly |
| A．explain | B．count | C．argue | D．call |
| A．anxious | B．nervous | C．sad | D．happy |
| A．doubt | B．wish | C．wound | D．sorrow |
| A. took advantage of B. came up with C. apply for D. calm down E. a variety of |
2. Suddenly, the student
3. Don't cry! You'd better try to
4. He
5. The young man wanted to
Is English an easy language to learn? It actually
Homework or Video Games
Brad loves to play video games. One day, Brad
Yuan Longping is a great Chinese hero
7 . One day recently, Laurie Fenby was shopping at a garage sale in Rochester New York and as she was leaving, she found a wallet on the ground.
Laurie looked inside and found a Jamaican (牙买加人的) driver’s license, some American cash and some Jamaican cash. She tried all the usual ways to find the man, whose name was George. She couldn’t find him through Google or Facebook and then she asked for suggestions through Next door, a community website. Laurie received a lot of ideas and responses-some of them were not so positive. But one lady advised her to contact a little store that is known to have many Jamaican migrant workers as clients. Laurie called the store and found that yes, indeed, there was someone named George who lost his wallet.
Laurie suggested that the store owner contact George and have him call her. When George contacted her he was able to identify everything in the wallet and Laurie was able to return it. But it didn’t stop there. Laurie asked George, “What do you and the migrant workers need?” He said they need some warm clothes. Laurie immediately contacted the community and was able to organize a clothing drive. She received lots of coats, jackets, shoes and other supplies. Recently Laurie met George and the other migrant workers in Rochester, and she joined them to pick apples together.
They were so thankful to Laurie and her friends-and none of this community building or friendship would have happened if the wallet had stayed in George’s pocket.
1. From the first two paragraphs, we can know Laurie Fenby ________.| A．worked at a garage | B．lost a wallet while shopping |
| C．knew many Jamaican workers | D．tried many ways to find George |
| A．Gather. | B．Select. | C．Search. | D．Tell. |
| A．Brave. | B．Caring. | C．Strict. | D．Polite. |
| A．Worried. | B．Surprised. | C．Supportive. | D．Doubtful. |
| A. are addicted to B. paid off C. in person D. sign up E. swept away |
2. Clearly, all the extra hours that he'd spent practicing alone
3. I shall be present at the meeting
4. A lot of students
5. My mother
People from different generations often live and work together. Sometimes they’re happy being together, other times they’re not. One of the reasons for their unhappiness maybe a generation gap. A generation gap is the difference between two or more generations—not the differences between their years but the differences between the generations’ ideas, attitudes, and interests. Of course, people can have differences and still be happy together, but according to the experts, communication between the generations helps everyone get along.
Good communication between the generations starts in the family. These days many families are changing their communication style. They are moving from a “one-way” style to a “two-way” style of communication. To show this change, let’s compare two families:
The Smith family uses the “one-way” style of communication. Mr. and Mrs. Smith show interest in their children, but they don’t discuss problems of feelings. The parents make all the rules and decisions. They don’t ask for their children’s opinions. They explain their decisions to their children, but they don’t discuss them. The explanation is clear and the children understand. The communication goes one way: from the parents to the children.
The Jones family uses the “two-way” style of communication. Mr. and Mrs. Jones show interest in their children and ask for their opinions. They discuss problems and express their feelings. The family makes rules and decisions together after a discussion. The communication goes two ways: from parents to children and from children to parents.
Better communication between generations at home means better communication between generations at work and in the community. When people from different generations understand each other better, they learn from each other more. This helps them form stronger bonds, work together more easily. As a result, people of all ages can team up effectively and come up with new ideas in different parts of life.
1. What is a generation gap?2. Where does good communication between the generations begin?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
If Jack’ parents discuss with him where to spend their summer vacation, they use the “one-way” style of communication.
4. To bridge the generation gaps, what other suggestions would you make besides better communication? (In about 40 words)
Never Too Old to Shine
When Wang Deshun showed on the stage as a male model in his late 70s, many thought he had reached his apex (顶点). However, the 85-year-old showed them he's still flying.
The white-bearded Wang took flight in Beijing Miyun District in a SW100 light aircraft on Aug 17, 2021. During the course of the flight, he completed turns and climbs on his own, becoming the oldest person to undertake flight training in China.
His physical stats proved enough to apply for a flight license due to his many years of exercise. At Miyun Airport in Beijing, he was guided by a professional team that made a training plan for him.
“I've been dreaming of flying for more than 50 years so I thought I should learn. I thought I could do this," Wang said.
This is not the first time Wang has wowed (使喝彩) his fellow Chinese citizens. Born in a rural family in Shengyang，Liaoning Province in 1936, Wang started to work as a bus conductor and then a factory worker. In 1960, he became a stage actor and appeared in bit parts in films such as Brave Journey to Northeast and Miss Granny.
Wang continued to challenge himself throughout his life. At 44 he learned English, and at 50 he began fitness training. He learnt to ride a horse at 65, to ride a motorcycle at 78, and hit the catwalk at 79, when he took part in Beijing Fashion Week and rose to social media fame. Walking down the catwalk completely shirtless, he wowed audiences and was nicknamed "China's hottest grandpa".
"It's never too old to have your dream," he said. "Age has never been a problem. Just do it."
1. What did Wang Deshun do on Aug 17, 2021?2. What was Wang's first job in his life?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Wang challenged himself throughout his life, for he was nicknamed "China's hottest grandpa".
4. Have you ever challenged yourself? Please give an example. (In about 40 words)
