1 . How long will it take you to read this article? On average, adults read about 240 words a minute, but I always take longer. I should probably feel embarrassed-but instead, I take joy in it.

I got the habit of reading for pleasure from my mum. Reading is what I do first thing in the morning and last thing at night. But it’s always taken me a long time. When I started reviewing books, I was averaging 20 pages an hour. I have improved to about 30 pages, but that’s still slow, according to some literary critics.

Book reviewers aren’t the only ones under pressure to read quickly. Pictures of “all the books I read this month” are all over social media. And reading has become a way of keeping up with the world. It is understandable that we try to make sense of events, but it can also fuel the idea that reading is a chore (苦差事), which it absolutely is not.

Why would pleasure be equal to pace? My slow reading seems to be down to a combination of slower processing speeds, and “subvocalising” — sounding out words as I read them. But especially when it comes to the latter, I wouldn’t want to train myself to go faster. It was news to me that not everyone subvocalises, because one of my favourite things about reading is hearing the language in my mind. Without subvocalising, I wouldn’t have caught the music of those words.

Recently, I finished a book of poetry. For two years, I read the poems each morning in the four minutes it took my coffee to be ready. It was a wonderful reminder that reading is never about quantity and always about the quality of time you spend with a text.

So when you read, don’t stick a number on it ---- resolve to read for pleasure, not as a chore.

1. Why does the author like slow reading?

A．It wins her fame online.	B．It is a delightful practice.
C．It comes from her mom.	D．It helps her reach goals.

2. What do fast readers focus on?

A．Quantity.

B．Quality.

C．Content.

D．Sound.

3. What do the underlined words “the latter” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A．Slower processing speeds.

B．Learning language.

C．Combining speeds and sounds.

D．Reading words out.

4. What would the author agree with?

A．Reading is a demanding task.

B．Pace equals reading pleasure.

C．Beauty of words needs tasting.

D．Poetry takes no effort to digest.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. How many people are expected to attend the party?

A．About 250.

B．About 300.

C．About 350.

2. Why can't the party be held in the Pine Room?

A．There's not enough room.

B．The decoration isn't good.

C．It is a bit far.

3. What will Dr. Darren do next Friday night?

A．Listen to a report.

B．Take part in a party.

C．Work on a speech.

3 . 听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1. How much is the most popular ticket?

A．39.

B．43.

C．S5.

2. Who started Madame Tussauds Museum?

A．A French king.

B．An art teacher.

C．A footballer.

3. Where is the fourth Madame Tussauds Museum?

A．In London.

B．In Amsterdam.

C．In Washington.

4. What is the speaker about to do?

A．Have a rest in a cafe.

B．Hand out some guidebooks.

C．Tour around the museum shop.

4 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Why does the man make the call?

A．The quality of the pizzas is poor.

B．His delivery is seriously delayed.

C．He got the wrong number of pizzas.

2. How does the woman solve the problem?

A．Return the money.

B．Send the pizzas once more.

C．Take back the delivered pizzas.

3. What is the woman's attitude toward the man's complaint?

A．Annoyed.

B．Carefree.

C．Apologetic.

5 . Consciousness (意识) rises slowly, awakening with the dawn that brightens my room. Cool air clears my mind as I walk to the kitchen, where my husband is making his morning coffee. The fire he thoughtfully started is beginning to heat the living space.

By my second cup, everyone is awake. After breakfast, we begin the busy work of a rural place. Chopping (砍) wood for the stove and clearing snow off steps and pathways. Our kids are big enough to be properly helpful and find joy in the work when everyone is doing it together.

Then we take a walk through the fresh snow. We discover an amazing array of animals on display in the markings that they have left. After dinner, we play cards with a lot of energy and competitive interaction. Eventually, we’ll turn off the lights and with the fire crackling (噼啪作响), cuddle (拥抱) on the couch to watch the stars through the windows before heading off to bed.

Weekends at the cabin (木屋) are magical. During the break, our family constantly balances the demands of work and school. I’m subject to my watch and alarm clock. But coming to the cabin on the weekend is like entering another world.

Here, I don’t need to know what time it is-sunrise and sunset, hunger and chores set our schedule. The house and the woods around it are silent and dark, except for birdsong and the moon. Life seems less pressing, and it’s easier to live in the moment without distraction.

When I get up the next morning, my son is already sitting in front of the fire, staring at the flames. I sit beside him, and he leans into me, sleepy and a bit sad. “What’s up?” I ask. “I just don’t want to go home yet. I like it better here.”

I know what he means. I smile and put my arms around him. “Even when we’re home, this place is always here, where it’s quiet and safe, and everyone you love has time for you.”

I don’t really mean the cabin, and I think he knows that.

1. What are paragraphs 1-3 mainly about?

A．The reasons the family go to the cabin.

B．The activities of the family at the cabin.

C．The adventures of the family in the woods.

D．The attitudes of the family to their cabin life.

2. Why does the author think weekends at the cabin are magical?

A．She can reunite with her family.

B．She enjoys the silence there most.

C．She finds her life there more thrilling.

D．She was not enslaved by tight schedules.

3. What does the cabin represent in the passage?

A．A rural culture.	B．An isolated life.
C．A place of connection.	D．An energetic interaction.

4. Which is the best title for the passage?

A．Taking a Break	B．A Weekend Picnic
C．Embracing Our Life	D．A Conscious Attempt

6 . At the beginning of my journey of learning Peking opera, I had_________ that I could manage to perform it outstandingly. Later I found out I was_________.

The most difficult part is that a singer has to first understand the _________ of a character. Once, I acted as Lin Chong, the hero of Outlaws of the Marsh. It was hard for me to understand his emotions when he was _________ for Liangshan on a snowy night. I couldn’t sing or perform as if I _________ was Lin, and so I felt very frustrated.

My teacher seemed to recognize my_________.One day, she approached me, and said with great _________, “The future is like the sea full of chances. There will be a long way to go before you can _________. Wipe the tears away from your eyes and keep _________.!”

After hearing my teacher's touching words, I suddenly felt __________. I bought a copy of Outlaws of the Marsh and began to read it at once. While reading one part of the novel, I understood that Lin was recalling his life while he was on the way to Liangshan，__________. in the cold moonlight. He had to leave his family, his job and so on. After I finished reading the novel, I spent a whole evening __________ his life story. After that, I spent more time practicing, and I__________won the award at the city competition.

This experience has further strengthened my beliefs and __________ the meaning and value of life for me. As long as we catch the __________ and take full advantage of it, we will succeed.

1.

A．evidence

B．faith

C．reason

D．doubt

2.

A．mistaken

B．occupied

C．hopeful

D．anxious

3.

A．mission

B．influence

C．emotions

D．instructions

4.

A．explaining

B．heading

C．allowing

D．searching

5.

A．truly

B．secretly

C．obviously

D．suddenly

6.

A．conflict

B．violence

C．plot

D．problem

7.

A．guilt

B．concern

C．gratitude

D．curiosity

8.

A．suspect

B．respond

C．tolerate

D．succeed

9.

A．repeating

B．smiling

C．practicing

D．waiting

10.

A．inspired

B．panicked

C．honored

D．convinced

11.

A．relaxed

B．bathed

C．abandoned

D．separated

12.

A．making up

B．polishing up

C．figuring out

D．preparing for

13.

A．eventually

B．gradually

C．particularly

D．frequently

14.

A．defended

B．clarified

C．recommended

D．shared

15.

A．breath

B．moment

C．passion

D．chance

7 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What is broken in the sales department?

A．A light.

B．A copy machine.

C．An air conditioner.

2. What is Max going to do first?

A．Deal with other urgent repairs.

B．Entertain important customers.

C．Arrange a lunch appointment.

8 . 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。

Many people may throw away the pits (核) or nuts after eating fruits, but inheritors (传承人) of nut carving have instead collected them and turned them into artworks.

“One nut,    1     (range) from 0.8 to 6 centimetres, can be made into delicate fan pendants (扇坠), earrings, buttons, seals, ect,” said Tan Wanhai,    2     inheritor of Weifang nut carving.

Weifang nut carving     3     (date) back to the Qing Dynasty. During that time, retired imperial craftsman Wang Dayan spread the skill to the local people in Shandong Province. Craftsmen back then often used peach pits     4     (show) off their artistic skills. Due to the rigorous (严谨缜密的) carving skills    5     its rich artistic content, Weifang nut carving    6     (list) as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2008.

Tan couldn’t forget    7     impressed he was when he first saw a nut carving. Yet, the 48-year-old craftsman also admitted that the journey of bringing this kind of masterpiece to life is not all smooth sailing. “Unlike some pits    8    a flat surface, each peach pit has its own unique texture (纹理),” Tan said, adding that craftsmen have to study and trace each peach pit to carefully plan out their artwork.

“Now, the number of inheritors is about 1,000. But I believe it could be     9     (high) as more craftsmen give up the tradition of passing down the skill only through the family and open up the     10     (occupy) to anyone who is interested,” added Tan.

9 . I have new company these days as I go outside. Every time I go out the door Miss Alice is sitting at my front door, waiting to be ________. And when I finally return home, there she is asking for ________ again.

It wasn’t always this way. The very first time I saw Miss Alice she was ________ under my house, having just had a litter of kittens (一窝小猫). When I looked under, I got a clear ________ that I was in for an attack if I got near. It took a lot of ________, love, and cat food from my daughter to ________ her. At first, she didn’t want to be touched at all. Then she would only allow a(n) ________ petting. Now my daughter can carry her like a little baby.

It still makes me ________ to see how my daughter’s loving spirit made this once ________cat as lovable as a most playful dog. I guess that is the ________ of love. It can save a hurting heart and uplift a(n) ________ soul. It can even turn her into a ________ dog in a cat suit. ________ the love into your own life then. And let your own love ________ everything you think, everything you say, and everything you do. You will be delighted at the joy you will find, the good you will do, and the lives you will ________. You will be amazed at how much your life will change.

1.

A．fed

B．petted

C．adopted

D．caught

2.

A．aid

B．food

C．attention

D．information

3.

A．hiding

B．playing

C．hunting

D．running

4.

A．order

B．notice

C．warning

D．impression

5.

A．ambition

B．imagination

C．support

D．patience

6.

A．trick

B．trap

C．catch

D．relieve

7.

A．occasional

B．emotional

C．sensitive

D．repetitive

8.

A．cry

B．complain

C．smile

D．sweat

9.

A．distant

B．peaceful

C．noisy

D．fearless

10.

A．source

B．power

C．adventure

D．exchange

11.

A．saddened

B．awakened

C．lovely

D．merry

12.

A．crazy

B．cheerful

C．careful

D．lazy

13.

A．Throw

B．Translate

C．Change

D．Invite

14.

A．fall over

B．wait for

C．turn into

D．flow through

15.

A．risk

B．lose

C．help

D．like

10 . Travelling seemed like falsehood to me. I grew tired of backpackers expressing too much praise about how petting a baby elephant in Thailand “transformed” them. Globe-traveling to me held no more promise than finding a few bills in the pocket of an old coat. I needed something deeper than an Eat, Play, Love moment.

One day, Vasilis, my Greek best friend, reminded me of our decade-old promise: after our final exams, I would visit his hometown in Athens. Maybe, it was time to make good on that promise.

I finally boarded the plane. Vasilis picked me up at the airport. I smiled, thinking how improbable this moment seemed all those years ago.

The decade-long wait proved to be well worth it. Every step through the ancient streets revealed new wonders. However, none of them truly mattered. What would forever alter my perception of travel was a chance encounter with a local.

Vasilis and I were wandering Athens when a special sound caught our attention — a rhythmic clinking disturbing the quietness of the residential street. Curiously, we followed the sound to a humble workshop. Inside, a welder (焊工) gave no mind to our presence behind him. He wore no flashy protective suit — this was just another day for him, another dance with fire and metal that had become second nature. Under the sunshade, his orange cat rested in the comforting warmth...

As the man continued welding, I felt a bit of envy. I envied his peace and contentment. I admired the simplicity he embodied. I imagined the welder happy, finding fulfillment in his craft (手艺) and returning to his loving family...The moment moved me to tears. Leaving the workshop, rain blending with tears, I realized how easily life’s poetry could pass unnoticed.

Home again in Montreal, I stop simply pursuing better things, better experiences and better people that are never grasped. I realize the real journey is inward — to appreciate life’s ordinary magic. That sure beats petting any baby elephant. I may not have returned home “transformed,” but I’ll always think of the welder and his cat.

1. Which aspect of travelling makes the author feel uneasy?

A．Shortage of adequate funds.	B．Discomfort in dietary habits.
C．Overstatement of travel’s effects.	D．Danger of petting baby animals.

2. What drove the author to go to Athens?

A．Meeting a commitment.	B．Exploring a unique landscape.
C．Receiving further education.	D．Escaping from the current life.

3. What does the underlined word “poetry” in paragraph 6 probably refer to?

A．Poems written by masters.	B．Peace and simplicity.
C．Spirit of craftsmanship.	D．Special sound in the street.

4. Which of the following can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Friendship Lasts Forever	B．Travelling Shapes a Better Self
C．Pursuit of Happiness Never Stops	D．The Ordinary Makes Extraordinary