1 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What can we know from the conversation?

A．Tomorrow is the man's son's birthday.

B．Tomorrow is the woman's son's birthday.

C．Tomorrow is the two speakers' son's birthday.

2. What does the man think of chocolate?

A．No one loves it.

B．Everyone loves it.

C．All children love it.

3. What can we learn from the conversation?

A．The child will receive a cake.

B．The child will receive nothing.

C．The child will receive a frosting bowl.

2 . Most young people are always on their phones, which may upset many people. ___________, a group called Girl Scouts are receiving _________ for setting up their first walk-in clinic for elderly people, who have difficulty understanding how to ___________ the secrets of their smart phones.

Each teen spent at least an hour of one-on-one time with their oldsters. Based on their _________ knowledge, each Girl Scout was assigned to ___________ different aspects of Android and Apple phones.

Some of the oldsters actually wanted to take part in e-commerce (电子商务), and needed help to _________ a payment account on their smart phones while others simply had _________ when learning how to send messages to their family members. "I was teaching this older woman how to _________, and the first thing she did was to send a message to her daughter,” one of the Scouts said. “How ___________ it was! It just made me feel really, really happy.”

In addition to arranging group lessons for all of the seniors to ____________ together at the end of the clinic, the youngsters even printed out brochures and guides for the seniors to take home in case ____________ seniors would encounter problems with their smart phones in the future.

The eighth graders earned their “Silver Award,, for their job. After experiencing the ____________ of their project, the girls hope to organize more ____________ in the near future. “Those girls were just great,” said Nancy, a great-grandmother who once ____________ the clinic. “They were ready for us and had a very mature attitude about answering our questions, and they ______________ the praise.

1.

A．Otherwise

B．Therefore

C．However

D．Besides

2.

A．service

B．praise

C．invitation

D．donation

3.

A．keep

B．untie

C．share

D．unlock

4.

A．technological

B．medical

C．psychological

D．physical

5.

A．record

B．teach

C．recall

D．investigate

6.

A．get back

B．set up

C．check out

D．pay off

7.

A．patience

B．luck

C．fun

D．trouble

8.

A．write

B．phone

C．text

D．read

9.

A．sweet

B．simple

C．rare

D．common

10.

A．play

B．live

C．talk

D．review

11.

A．amazed

B．experienced

C．confused

D．respected

12.

A．success

B．arrangement

C．change

D．pressure

13.

A．performances

B．clinics

C．clubs

D．competitions

14.

A．organized

B．managed

C．visited

D．funded

15.

A．needed

B．refused

C．enjoyed

D．deserved

3 . 24 Solar Terms: 5 things about Major Snow

Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, which falls on Dec 7 this year. During Major Snow, the snow becomes heavy and begins to accumulate on the ground. The temperature drops significantly. Here are 5 things you should know about Major Snow.

Snowy winter

The snow in North China may last a whole day, breaking tree branches and blocking the road. In the south, snowflakes fall and the world turns white. A proverb about the snow says, "A timely snow promises a good harvest".     1    

    2    

The red plum blossoms (梅花) in contrast with the white snowy world is a feast for the eyes and have inspired many great poems. The plum blossom, which originated in China, is respected in Chinese culture for its bravery against severe winters.

Eating lamb

Lamb is a favorite food for Chinese people during Major Snow.     3     People in Chongqing like to have potted lamb soup with their families and friends. Nanjing residents like to stew lamb with some plants to make it more nutritious.

Making sausages

During Major Snow, people in southern China make sausages, an important part of preparation for the Spring Festival.    4    . The sausage should be dried in the shade, and is edible after a week.

Preventing respiratory (呼吸道的) illness

During this period, Chinese people watch for outbreaks of respiratory illness, which can be prevented by wearing a warm scarf to protect the neck and properly drinking water.    5    . At the same time, don't drink cold water after exercise.

A．Writing poems about snow

B．Appreciating plum blossoms

C．But you should not drink too much water at a time

D．Drink as much water as you can whenever possible

E．The best meat for this delicacy comes from the bottom of the pig

F．As the snow covers the ground, the low winter temperature kills pests

G．It promotes blood circulation and provides protection against the cold

4 . For most people, life has become a burden on their shoulders, and its weight is growing heavier and heavier, until one day they can’t carry it anymore. So how can we design a life that is less complex and more meaningful? With minimalism (极简主义).     1     The following ways will assist you in your journey to living a simper yet fuller life.

    2     Most people’s living space is filled with things that are never used and don’t contribute to their well-being. Separate the ones you do need from the ones you don’t, and throw the latter right into the dustin — or better, give them away to people who might actually benefit from them.

Appreciate all the amazing things you already have. We constantly compare ourselves to others who seem happier, more beautiful and more important than us. We try our best to imitate those we envy.     3     We need to stop comparing and accept ourselves for who we are, with all our imperfections. Take a moment to appreciate what you have.

Do one thing at a time. Minimalist living actually means making the most out of each and every moment. We’re usually carrying out different tasks at the same time. So whatever we are doing, our mind is partly wondering somewhere else.     4    

Develop mindfulness.     5     Thus you need to develop mindfulness. Mindfulness means fully attending to what’s happening in the present. There are many ways one can do so. Perhaps the most common way is to sit for about 30 minutes somewhere comfortably with your upper back straight and pay full attention to your breath as it’s coming in and out through your nose. In this way, you won’t be distracted by your thoughts.

A．It is about enjoying life more with less.

B．Stop consuming products you don’t need.

C．Yet no matter how much we try, we always fail.

D．Get rid of things that don’t serve your happiness.

E．minimalist living requires a calm and undisturbed mind.

F．Stop multitasking and concentrate on a single thing at a time.

G．Unfortunately, our minds are filled with worries in our busy lives.

5 . Give with Love

Choosing a charity to support isn't as easy as picking one out of a hat.    1     . Here are a few things to consider to help you choose.

What cause do you want to support?

Typically, the first thing that people think about when choosing a charity to support is the cause. There are children’s charities, animal charities and charities that raise money and awareness for a wide range of illnesses, disabilities and issues.     2    .

Do you want to support a large or small charity?

There are big name charities such as the Red Cross, SPCA and Barnardos.    3    , some of which work at a local level. Decide whether you want to contribute to a large and potentially powerful charily that will be making big waves but will have high running costs, or whether you want to support and contribute to a smaller charily that might only help a few people al a lime but will be fighting to get noticed and raise funds.

Find your reason

Once you have decided that you would like to give some of your time or money to help others, you need to make some decisions. For instance, volunteering.    4    , while others want to meet new people, Perhaps you have been affected by a particular charity supports, such as cancer or child abuse. Or perhaps you want to add your support to your local school which relies on parents and other members of the community to help children with their reading and maths.

    5    

Think about your existing skills: do you prefer hands-on work, are you good with people, do you have a background in administration or secretarial work? Charities need a wide variety of skills, such as working in shops, organising fundraising events, driving vehicles or. in the case of animal charities, walking dogs or checking out foster homes.

A．Location is important

B．Decide on the kind of work

C．There are also many smaller charities

D．Some people want to give something back

E．Think about which organisation’s cause is dear to your heart

F．Larger charities will advertise vacant positions on their website

G．Your choice should be personal and your reasons unique to you