1 . I just had the most beautiful experience with Woolworths in Gladstone Park Shopping Centre. I did an online ______ for my family and went into the store to pick it up. It was ______ for it was my youngest daughter’s second birthday. The young man Adrian was lovely and ______ my order hurriedly. I was happy and ______ with my trolley (购物车) full of groceries and my little kid.

Five to ten minutes later I got four missed ______ from a number in Sydney; clearly it must be a cheat call as I live in Melbourne, I thought. Luckily the online gentleman left a ______ as he knew I would not call back. When I ______ this, I had got home and put my daughter down for her afternoon sleep.

The online gentleman ______ that Gladstone Park Shopping Center was trying to contact me to let me ______ that they left the cold drinks out of my order by chance. I told the gentleman online that I had just put down my kid to sleep and that ______ , I could not return to the ______ to collect my remaining groceries. The online gentleman was so ______ and said he would contact the store and see if they could send them to me for free. I was ______ to hear that.

Half an hour later, the lovely Adrian from Woolworths, who had ______ me earlier, dropped off my order, which totally touched my heart. He even ______ me a box of chocolates to say sorry.

1.

A．trip

B．order

C．challenge

D．experiment

2.

A．common

B．amazing

C．important

D．expensive

3.

A．dealt with

B．made up

C．paid for

D．took away

4.

A．stopped

B．volunteered

C．rested

D．left

5.

A．talks

B．calls

C．replies

D．pictures

6.

A．message

B．response

C．letter

D．gift

7.

A．accepted

B．judged

C．questioned

D．realized

8.

A．argued

B．noticed

C．explained

D．warned

9.

A．remember

B．know

C．admit

D．agree

10.

A．unfortunately

B．interestingly

C．equally

D．secretly

11.

A．company

B．workshop

C．house

D．store

12.

A．responsible

B．encouraging

C．independent

D．confident

13.

A．positive

B．proud

C．excited

D．stressful

14.

A．invited

B．reminded

C．attracted

D．served

15.

A．lent

B．gave

C．sold

D．showed

2 . Kids want to spend their summer vacations having fun in the sun with their friends. Reading may not even be on their list. But if you add a lovely dog, that could make reading a pleasant activity.

Now a new study found that reading to dogs helps to improve reading ability because dogs provide a nonjudgmental and supportive atmosphere(氛围).

Three educators from the college decided to look at new ways to get kids to read more after the Education Ministry expressed concern over a great drop in reading scores in fourth-grade students.

These students had reading difficulties because they did not go through school in person during the last three years. They missed out on reading practice with their peers(同龄人)during the second and third grades.

“We want to find an original way that would encourage students to practice their reading,” Har-Zvi, head of the special-education track and senior lecturer at the college said. “And to create that encouragement, we decided to do experiments with dogs.”

Reading to pets encourages kids to acquire confidence and interest in reading, according to the pet food company Purina. That’s not only because the practice of reading to dogs is used in home-schooling to help the kids acquire reading ability, but also because pets are comforting and nonjudgmental. Einat Artzi, whose daughter took part in the experiment, told Ynet that her daughter Michaela ”has loved dogs from a young age. Her experience of reading to dogs greatly increased her desire to read, and in her opinion, it improved her reading abilities. All in all, the experience of introducing dogs into the classroom made her feel comfortable and safe, and she began to enjoy going to school. Michaela is now considered one of the top readers in her class and has a very rich vocabulary. Thanks to this, we also took in a dog.“

1. What led three educators to try to get kids to read more?

A．Kids’ difficulty in making friends.	B．Teachers’ passive teaching methods.
C．Their worry about students’ health.	D．Concerns of education leaders.

2. What gave the kids confidence in the experiment?

A．The quiet listening of the dogs.	B．The kids’ love for the dogs.
C．The parents’ joining them.	D．The guidance from the teachers.

3. How did the experiment influence Michaela according to her mother?

A．It made her fall in love with dogs.	B．It bettered her reading ability greatly.
C．It improved her relationships with others.	D．It allowed her to take a dog to school.

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

A．Dogs Are Good Friends to Kids	B．Kids’ Reading Scores Are Dropping
C．Dogs Help Make Kids Better Readers	D．Kids Studying at Home Brings Problems

3 . How to Talk to Strangers

We are often taught at a very young age not to talk to strangers. However, we grow up and have to talk to strangers all day long.     1    

First of all, it is very important to have a warm approach if you want to avoid a cold communication. So when you are approaching a stranger for the first time next time, send off friendly signals (信号), such as smiling.

Now that you have approached with friendly and warm signals, what do you say to a stranger?     2     The opening lines are not as important as you might think. One of the best and effective opening lines is also the simplest, such as “Hey, how are you?”, which has worked for me all the time.

After or during your opening line, give out your hand for a nice solid handshake. But what if you don’t like shaking hands? Too bad, I advise you to step up and shake the other person’s hand anyway. Why? Because handshakes are so important.     3    

    4     You can tell the strangers who you are and how you have arrived. And if you can, try asking them questions. For example, I could say, “Hey, I’m Vanessa. This is my first time at this conference and how about you?” Then they would respond and we are in a conversation and no longer strangers.

My final tip for you is to use food and drink as an opener if you can. Sitting at the bar is an easy way to make conversation with the person next to you.     5     We all eat and drink, so it’s an easy way in.

A．Now it’s time to introduce yourself.

B．Give something as a gift to the stranger at the first time.

C．Having a small talk while waiting to be seated is very simple.

D．Opening lines tend to make people very nervous, but don’t worry.

E．When discussing a problem you both meet, you will better understand each other.

F．Here are some tips for you to develop a quick and good relationship with strangers.

G．The moment your skin touches someone else’s skin, both of you will feel more connected.

4 . Learning a new language is like you’re going through the jungle with a knife and creating a path. When you learn two languages at once, you’re cutting your way through the jungle to create two paths, which requires twice the discipline (自律), time and motivation.

But it is possible. A 2020 study published in the International Journal of Multilingualism found that Chinese students learning English and Russian at the same time achieved similar mastery in English compared to a control group that just studied English. This is likely because they have already made enormous efforts. A 2017 study suggests that bilinguals (双语者) can learn new languages faster than single-language learners.

The biggest challenge of learning two languages at the same time is finding enough time and opportunities to study them. But to know just how many efforts and resources to put into it, you’ll need to decide what you want to achieve with the languages you’re planning to adopt. Becoming professor-level fluent in Polish is going to take a really long time, but if you want to be able to have conversations while you’re traveling, that won’t take as much time.

To help you distribute (分配) your time and energy more effectively, and get a better idea of what your study plan will look like, it’s important to understand how difficult a particular language is for a native English speaker. While it can take up to 2,200 hours to learn languages like Arabic and Mandarin, if you grew up speaking English, it’ll be easier for you to pick up Czech and German, for example. The easiest languages for native English speakers to learn include Spanish French, and Portuguese, which require between 600 and 750 hours of class to achieve professional mastery.

If it feels too discouraging to go full speed ahead on both languages right away, it might be easier to understand basic grammar and vocabulary for one language before adding another one to the mix.

1. Why can bilingual learners do as well as single-language learners?

A．Bilingual learners are cleverer.

B．Bilingual learners work harder.

C．Bilingual learners are more interested in languages.

D．Bilingual learners have a better learning environment.

2. What determines the time it takes to learn foreign languages?

A．The occasions of using the languages.

B．The steps to learn the languages.

C．The professors teaching the languages.

D．The purpose of learning the languages.

3. Which language is hardest for native English speakers according to the text?

A．French.

B．German.

C．Mandarin.

D．Portuguese.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Learning Two Languages at Once	B．Ways of Leaning a New Language
C．Language Talent of Chinese Students	D．Difficulty in Learning Language

5 . Training for your future

Whether it’s an overnight pre-college program or a local day camp, summer programs for teens are a great opportunity to pursue new interests, improve existing skills, and make new friends outside of the classroom.

World Scholars Academy

World Scholars Academy offers elite summer computer science courses for ages 12-18 designed and taught by world-leading software engineering scholars. Explore your future career path and accelerate your success with high-level instruction in coding and computer science led by the world’s most accomplished educators.

Cost: $ 1,800            Provided by: college            Session length: two weeks

Hollinsummer

Hollinsummer is a summer program for young women with interests in creative writing, social justice, theater, or riding. Designed for passionate, talented high school girls, Hollinsummer brings together students from across the country for an exciting week of learning on one of Virginia’s most beautiful campuses.

Cost: $1,500             Provided by: college             Session length: one week

ArtsBridge Summer

Sing, dance and act your heart out for two incredible weeks. These programs provide specialized guidance on what it takes to be a theater artist, from acting to song and dance with an eye on college admission in the performing arts.

Cost: $3,000          Provided by: independent provider        Session length: two weeks

Future Stars

The baseball camp is designed for campers of all skill levels. Campers are grouped according to their age and skill. They are able to improve their level of play and raise their confidence on the field in a fun, team-oriented environment.

Cost: $ 1,499            Provided by: independent provider               Session length: one week

1. Which is most suitable for students who love computer science?

A．World Scholars Academy.	B．Hollinsummer.
C．ArtsBridge Summer.	D．Future Stars.

2. What is special about Hollinsummer?

A．It is the cheapest summer program.

B．Only female can participate in this program.

C．It is the only one-week summer program of all.

D．Participants are required to have basic writing skills.

3. What do ArtsBridge Summer and Future Stars have in common?

A．Both have specialized courses on theater.

B．Both promote individualism over teamwork.

C．Both are organized by independent providers.

D．Both group campers based on their age and skill.

6 . Smoking is even a tradition in Chinese celebrations. At my wedding, we handed out the traditional candies to people who came. I had said to my wife, Ellen, that handing out packets of cigarettes was wrong, as it just encouraged people to continue a deadly habit. “But it’s traditional,” she replied, “People would think we were mean if we don’t!”

Over the years I’ve been given cigarettes as gifts and have always handed them straight back. This might make me look ungrateful in Chinese eyes, but I can’t understand the logic behind handing someone a gift that will cause them to smell terrible, have awful breath, and even worse, kill them.

This year the university I work at has taken the bold step of making the entire campus “smoke free”. As my students are either doctors doing postgraduates studies, or medical students on their way to being doctors, I thought they would be in favor of such a move, but I was wrong. Many of them have complained to me that they see this as depriving them of their civil rights and that they should be allowed to smoke when and where they like.

When I pointed out to them that cigarettes do harm not only to those smoking themselves, but even to those breathing in second hand smoke, the argument was dismissed with a wave. “Those studies aren’t conclusive”, one doctor replied. “Besides, my grandmother told me that smoking is manly.” Tempting(诱人的) as it was to ask if she was also a doctor, I let the argument go and went off in search of some fresh air.

1. Which of the following is a consequence of smoking according to the author?

A．It will leave you breathless.	B．People believe you are mean.
C．People think you are ungrateful.	D．It will make your smell unpleasant.

2. What attitude do many of the author’s students have towards the entire campus “smoke free”?

A．Objective.

B．Unconcerned.

C．Negative.

D．Positive.

3. What does the underlined word “depriving” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Robbing.

B．Accusing.

C．Informing.

D．Reminding.

4. In which column of a newspaper is this text probably found?

A．Technology.

B．Entertainment.

C．Art.

D．Life.

7 . You start by running around the school track three times to warm up. This is followed by exercises or long jump for the girls and football or basketball for the boys. That is an average 45 -minute PE class— but do you really enjoy it?

For students at the Second High School Attached to Beijing Normal University, sports classes have experienced a welcome change. Senior 2 students now learn the traditional Chinese martial art of sword-fighting (中国剑术), making PE the most popular lesson on the timetable. “The classes used to be boring as we just did the same things again and again,” said Xiao Tong. “But now PE classes are such fun. Sword-fighting is so cool.” His classmate Wei Jie agrees. “As well as being fun, we learn about traditional Chinese culture,” she said. The usual morning exercises performed to music on the school playground have been replaced by kicking and punching practice (搏击操) to a pop music by Zheng Xiuwen. “We didn't pay much attention when we heard the old music,” Xiao explained, “But when Zheng's music is played, we get excited.” Mao Min, the PE teacher who introduced the changes, is pleased that the students now enjoy sports lessons more. “The classes encourage healthy lifestyles and I am always looking for creative ways to keep the students active,” he said. Schools offer activities according to what sports facilities (设备) they have. For example, students at the Experimental High School Attached to Beijing Normal University can choose to learn swimming, taekwondo (跆拳道) or volleyball. “I take my volleyball very seriously so I keep fit by playing it,” said Senior 2 student Zhang Zheng. “Students only try hard in sports that interest them.”

1. Why was Xiao Tong not interested in PE classes in the past?

A．Because he didn't do well in sports.

B．Because he disliked the same activities.

C．Because he thought the classes too long-

D．Because he was tired of the PE teacher.

2. Which sport is NOT mentioned in the text?

A．Sword-fighting.

B．Volleyball.

C．Skating.

D．Punching practice.

3. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．Sword-fighting appears in PE classes.

B．Students try hard in all sports at school.

C．Schools offer necessary sports facilities.

D．PE classes are welcoming new changes.

4. What is the attitude of the students towards new PE classes?

A．Supportive.

B．Negative.

C．Uncaring.

D．Doubtful.

8 . Unusual Castles Around the World

Whether a fantastic achievement of architecture or just a try to appeal to the public intentionally, the four curious castles below are far from ordinary.

Kelburn Castle, Largs, Scotland

When viewed from some sides, Kelburn Castle looks like a typical Scottish castle. But on the building’s south side, the stone tower and walls are covered in cartoon-style graffiti (涂鸦). The castle’s graffiti is the work of four artists. The graffiti took 1,500 cans of paint to create.

Predjama Castle, Predjama. Slovenia

Predjama Castle was built directly into the mouth of a cave located halfway up a little over 123-meter cliff (悬崖) face. Although the site dates back to at least the 13th century, the current building was reconstructed during the 16th century. The impressive castle holds the Guinness World Records for the largest cave castle in the world.

Swallow’s Nest, Gaspra, Crimea

It’s common for castles to be built near the edge of a cliff, but few look so unsafe as the Swallow’s Nest in Crimea, which extends out over the Black Sea. The foundation of this small castle, which measures 20 meters in length and 10 meters in width, extends beyond the edge of the 40-meter cliff. The current stone building was once a wooden structure.

Trosky Castle, Troskovice, Czech Republic

On the top of two volcanic mouths is Trosky Castle, which dates back to the end of the 14th century. Along with the towers on each peak, the castle is also built on the ridge (山脊) that connects the peaks. After a defensive stronghold during war time, the castle was abandoned. The government took control of the site in 1925 and the remains of its walls are now carefully maintained.

1. What highlights Kelburn Castle?

A．Its history.

B．Its location.

C．Its design.

D．Its function.

2. What do Predjama Castle and Swallow’s Nest have in common?

A．They were once rebuilt.	B．They were abandoned.
C．They are cave castles.	D．They are the same length.

3. Which castle lies on the volcanic rock?

A．Kelburn Castle.	B．Predjama Castle.
C．Swallow’s Nest.	D．Trosky Castle.

9 . I couldn’t have been better prepared for the talk, my first presentation as a college student. I had learned my speech _________ . The day before the talk, alone in my room, I felt _________ . But as soon as I was invited to the stage, I was overwhelmed by a fear I had _________ too many times before—the fear of getting _________ because of my stutter (口吃).

It began when I was a child. I felt ashamed and _________ as little as possible at school. I put a lot of _________ into math and science; in these subjects, I could _________ my teachers with written exams and reports rather than spoken ones.

But by the time I got to middle school, my stutter had made me a _________ for bullying (欺凌), which hurt my academic performance. _________ , I went to a cooking school, where I hoped my cooking would speak for itself.

I saw my future as a __________ until a nutrition class, when the teacher’s lecture __________ me of my love of science. I found that my thirst for learning more biology was __________ than my fear of stuttering during oral exams. I started to work in a research lab and tried speech therapy (治疗). With the help of my therapist, I __________ realized the real problem was not the stutter itself; it was my fear of stuttering. It took me about a year to __________ during one weekly meeting that I love myself as I am.

Now, instead of __________ public speeches, I actively seek opportunities to be on the stage. And if I happen to stutter along the way, so be it.

1.

A．by heart

B．on purpose

C．by mistake

D．on duty

2.

A．nervous

B．surprised

C．confident

D．energetic

3.

A．forgotten

B．experienced

C．arranged

D．considered

4.

A．stuck

B．broken

C．lost

D．bored

5.

A．planned

B．moved

C．studied

D．talked

6.

A．feeling

B．money

C．power

D．effort

7.

A．interest

B．embarrass

C．satisfy

D．disappoint

8.

A．target

B．celebrity

C．hit

D．leader

9.

A．However

B．Instead

C．Therefore

D．Moreover

10.

A．professor

B．chef

C．biologist

D．director

11.

A．warmed

B．cured

C．informed

D．reminded

12.

A．lighter

B．stronger

C．smaller

D．longer

13.

A．naturally

B．immediately

C．gradually

D．frequently

14.

A．speak out

B．cut in

C．take down

D．put up

15.

A．expecting

B．avoiding

C．improving

D．doubting

10 . If you want to improve your relationship with Mom or Dad, try listening to them, just like you would listen to a friend.

Now, it may seem kind of strange to treat your parents as if they were normal people and all, but it’s worth trying. We’re always saying to our parents, “    1    ” But have you ever stopped to consider that maybe you don’t understand them?

They have pressures, too, you know? While you’re worrying about your friends and your upcoming history test, they’re worrying about their bosses and how they’re going to pay for your education. Like you, sometimes they get offended at work and go in the restroom to cry.     2     Your mom may have too much work stress to just sit down and relax at night. Your dad may get laughed at by the neighbours because of the car he drives. They may have unfulfilled dreams they’ve had to sacrifice so that you can reach yours.     3     They laugh, they cry, they get their feelings hurt, and they don’t always get their act together, just like me and you.

    4     First, you’ll gain a greater respect for them. Second, if you take time to understand your parents, you’ll get your way much more often. If they feel that you understand them, they’ll be more willing to listen to you, they’ll be more flexible, and they’ll trust you more.

    5     Start by asking them some questions. When’s the last time you asked your mom or dad, “How was your day today?” or “Tell me what you like and don’t like about your job” or “Is there anything I could do to help around the house?”

A．You don’t understand me.

B．Hey, parents are people, too.

C．It’s important to get on well with your parents.

D．So how can you better understand your parents?

E．Jump into their shoes and think from their point of view.

F．They have days when they don’t know how they will pay the bills.

G．If you take time to listen to your parents, two wonderful things will happen.