1 . In the old-fashioned town of Willowbrook, two friends named Emma and Liam shared an intimate bond. They were inseparable and spent every moment together, laughing, exploring, and creating unforgettable memories.
One cold winter morning, as the first snowflakes gently fell from the sky, Emma woke up with a stuffy nose and a sore throat. She tried to brave it and get ready for school, but her body felt weak and achy. Unwillingly, she called Liam to let him know she couldn’t make it to school that day.
Liam was concerned when he heard the tiredness in Emma’s voice. “Don’t worry, Em. I’ll take care of everything at school for you,” he assured her. Feeling grateful for Liam’s understanding, Emma forced a smile and replied, “Thank you, Liam. You’re the best friend anyone could ask for.”
After school, Liam hurried to Emma’s house, carrying a meal he had prepared for her. He knocked on the door, and Emma’s mother welcomed him with a warm smile. “Oh, Liam, you’re such a thoughtful friend,” she said.
“I brought some soup and tea for Emma. I hope it will make her feel better,” Liam replied, some concern in his eyes. Entering Emma’s room, Liam found her curled up under a blanket, looking pale but relieved to see him. “Hey, I brought some comfort food to cheer you up,” he said, setting the food on her bedside table.
Emma’s eyes lit up, and she smiled weakly. “You didn’t have to, but thank you. This means the world to me,” she whispered. Sitting by her side, Liam kept her company, chatting softly and making her laugh despite her illness. The warmth of their friendship enveloped the room, bringing a feeling of comfort to Emma’s tired soul.
As Emma regained her strength, she realized just how lucky she was to have a friend like Liam. His unwavering presence and kindness had made her recovery easier and brighter. Their friendship grew stronger with each passing day, and from that moment on, they knew they would be there for each other through thick and thin.
1. What does the underlined word “intimate” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?A.Satisfactory. | B.Informal. | C.Close. | D.Temporary. |
A.It was too cold to go outside. | B.Liam failed to pick her up. |
C.She was in a bad condition. | D.School was closed for the heavy snow. |
A.Considerate and caring. | B.Brave but lazy. |
C.Selfless and active. | D.Independent but stubborn. |
A.Emma’s illness. | B.A precious friendship. |
C.Liam’s company. | D.How to help a friend. |
2 . Pullman is a superb writer and Seagull is a brilliant communicator. They had a debate after Seagull posted a question on his social media platform: “When you were trying to create an environment for learning, what were your best pieces of classical music to listen to?” He received hundreds of suggestions — and one negative reply, from Pullman: “That’s not what classical music is for. Treat it with respect.”
That did it! Everyone — professional musicians, students, teachers — weighed into the argument, and the majority supported Seagull and were criticizing Pullman.
It’s easy to see why people are annoyed. We all want classical music to be as accessible as possible, especially to the young. If some of them are using Bach or Schubert as a tool to help them study, what’s the problem? They may also develop an attachment to classical music.
So is Pullman ridiculous and supercilious by objecting to classical music being used as background music? At first sight, his idea seems stuffy and extreme. By suggesting that classical music should be “treated with respect” and not used as background music, Pullman seems to be closing classical music of to millions of people.
It’s worth pointing out, however, that he isn’t the first to express concerns about classical music being devalued by becoming too commonplace in today’s technologically shaped world. In Benjamin Britten’s 1964 speech, the composer expressed exactly the same worries as Pullman. Britten suggested, “The true musical experience demands some preparation, some effort, a journey to a special place, saving up for a ticket, some homework perhaps”. In short, it demands as much effort from listeners as from composers and performers.
I don’t agree with such an extreme viewpoint, but I do think it touches on a reality. You will never fully grasp the beauty of classical music if you half-hear it only in the background. That doesn’t necessarily matter. Music can be enjoyed on many levels. What Pullman and Britten are really saying is that, in a drive for “accessibility”, we shouldn’t deny the emotional and intellectual complexity underpinning (构成) much classical music.
1. What did Seagull’s posting result in?A.Great admiration for Seagull. |
B.Public criticism of classical music. |
C.A discussion about learning environments. |
D.An argument over the role of classical music. |
A.Self-important. | B.Open-minded. | C.Impatient. | D.Considerate. |
A.To show his affection for classical music. |
B.To introduce young people to classical music. |
C.To demonstrate classical music is demanding. |
D.To support Pullman’s idea over classical music. |
A.Favorable. | B.Doubtful. | C.Objective. | D.Uninterested. |
Dear Frank,
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
4 . You would want to make a good impression when you introduce yourself on the first day in class at your school, wouldn’t you? In this post, it will cover what to include in your introduction.
The start.
You can start with the obvious (明显的) information — your name.
The city you come from. You may add a sentence or two about the city as well if there is something interesting to talk about. Maybe the city is known for its historic monuments (历史遗迹).
What are your interests and hobbies?
Playing a sport? Traveling? Reading? Kite flying? Or something unusual, such as toy collecting?
Where can you help others?
Remember that all of you may need help in areas where others are stronger. Therefore, if you have a strength (长处) others in your class can benefit (受益) from, feel free to share it. For example, if you’re good at dancing, you can teach anyone who’s interested. If people know your strengths, they’ll readily turn to you when they need help.
A.Where are you from? |
B.But that’s a common start. |
C.Where did you last attend the school? |
D.Maybe it’s famous for its natural beauty. |
E.This is an easy way to make friends in high school. |
F.Describe small facts if you’ve followed the hobby with serious interest. |
G.The organizer may ask to include your family and the place you come from in the introduction. |
There was a boy who was sent to a boarding school. He used to be the brightest student in his class. He was at the top in every competition. But things changed after that. His grades started dropping. He hated being in a group. He was lonely all the time. He felt worthless and that no one loved him.
His parents began to worry. But even they did not know what was wrong. So his dad decided to visit the school and talk with him.
They sat on the bank of the lake near the school. The father started asking him casual questions about his classes, teachers and sports. Then he asked, “Do you know, son, why I am here today?” The boy said, “To check my grades?”
“No, no, ” his dad replied. “I am here to tell you that you are the most important person for me. I want to see you happy. I don’t care about grades. I care about you. I care about your happiness. YOU ARE MY LIFE.”
Now the boy had everything he wanted.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6 . My aunt Nancy is a truck driver. When she left school, she didn't know what she wanted to do, so she went to work in a supermarket. One day, she was talking to one of the truck drivers at the supermarket, and she got the idea to drive a truck herself. She went home and told her parents (my grandparents!), and they thought it was a good idea.
Nancy’s journeys are different every day, and she goes to every part of the country. She enjoys the driving, but she says that one day, she would like to get a job with a different company(公司) so that she can drive to more places.
Nancy says she likes being out on the road, seeing new towns all the time, but the best thing about driving trucks for her is talking to everyone she sees during her working day. She also says the trucks are comfortable, so she doesn't mind sleeping in them. For her, they are her home on wheels!
I asked my grandparents what they thought about Nancy’s job. They are happy that Nancy is happy, so they don't want her to change jobs. But they worry about her because it’s sometimes a dangerous job and she spends a lot of time away from home.
1. Where did Nancy get the idea to be a truck driver?A.At school. | B.At the supermarket. | C.In her truck. | D.On the road. |
A.She drives all around the world. | B.She often drives to the same places. |
C.She would like to be a taxi driver. | D.She hopes to work for a different company in the future. |
A.Talking with different people. | B.Travelling to different places. |
C.Sleeping in the trucks. | D.Tasting delicious food. |
A.They don't like her job at all. | B.They are glad that it's a perfect job. |
C.They believe the job has some problems. | D.They would like Nancy to do a different job. |
7 .
Panda Ya Ya returns home
Ya Ya the giant panda has just arrived in Shanghai, east China on Thursday after 20 years of stay at the Memphis Zoo in the U.S. The flight was around 15.5 hours. Both Chinese and American vets are with Ya Ya.
Ya Ya was born at Beijing Zoo on August 3, 2000. She arrived at Memphis Zoo in April, 2003. Ya Ya has become a bridge of friendship between Chinese and foreign people. She will spend a month in Shanghai before returning to her birthplace, Beijing Zoo.
We do hope all pandas that are in foreign countries can be healthy and happy.
Did you know…?
Baby pandas are born pink and measure about 15cm-that’s about the size of a pencil
Giant pandas spend up to 12 hours a day eating bamboo.
Pandas live for about 20 years in the wild, but in the zoos they can live for up to 35 years.
1. Ya Ya was born in _______.A.Beijing | B.Chengdu | C.Shanghai ` | D.Guangzhou |
A.Black and white. | B.Pink. | C.Yellow. | D.Gray. |
A.Ya Ya spend up to 10 hours a day eating bamboo. | B.Shanghai Zoo is Ya Ya’s final home. |
C.Ya Ya had a short flight coming back home. | D.Ya Ya helps foreigners know more about China. |
A.a piece of news | B.an ad | C.a diary | D.a letter |
8 . I was expecting to have a quiet day, but it turned out(结果是) to be just the opposite. It was Saturday morning
I
“But George, it's clear,” I said impatiently(不耐烦地). “They
“That's impossible! You know Simon's in our class, but he has said
I realized he was right. So we phoned the
Sometimes, a small act can mean a lot to others.
1.A.and | B.but | C.if | D.or |
A.book | B.time | C.answer | D.help |
A.refuse | B.try | C.forget | D.run |
A.with | B.at | C.on | D.by |
A.swam | B.walked | C.rushed | D.flew |
A.need | B.will | C.might | D.must |
A.something | B.nothing | C.anything | D.everything |
A.police | B.classmates | C.teachers | D.family |
A.in | B.off | C.away | D.up |
A.serious | B.thankful | C.famous | D.clever |