1 . How to Make the Most of Your Free Time of Holidays
While the holidays can be a fun time to relax and enjoy seeing family and friends, you can end up with a lot of downtime if you don’t plan ahead. If you want to get the most out of your holidays, schedule time for a mixture of fun activities and productive tasks.
Wake up early to get each day off to a good start. It can be tempting to sleep in during the holidays, but you’ll get more out of your time off if you wake up a little earlier than normal each day. Even setting your alarm 30 minutes earlier can help keep you from getting off schedule, and you’ll have more time during the day to get things done. If you do end up staying up late one night, try to get up as early as you can the next morning.
Spend time learning or improving a skill, craft, or hobby. If you think you’re going to have a lot of free time over the holidays, try using that time to learn something new. You might practice a new drawing technique if you love art, for instance, or you might try learning to play a new song if you play the guitar.
| A．Take time to read for fun or for study |
| B．The holidays are also a great time to improve cooking skills |
| C．But remember that frequent getting up early is harmful to your health |
| D．Then go to bed extra early the next night to help you stay on schedule |
| E．A well-scheduled holiday can make you more refreshed in the coming semester |
| F．If you have any assigned reading materials, you're supposed to do over the break |
| G．While keeping in mind that it's also important to spend some time relaxing yourself |
2 . The Tomatina Festival(西红柿节) is a festival that is held in a town named Bunol in Spain, on which people throw tomatoes for fun. It is held on the last Wednesday of August each year.
In 1945, during a parade(游行) in the town one day, young men who wanted to be in the parade started a fight in the town square. They used tomatoes as weapons(武器).This is the most popular story about how the Tomatina Festival started.
At around 10: 00a.m.on Wednesday, activities that are organized to celebrate the festival begin. The first one is climbing a pole with a ham on top. When a person is climbing, some people sing and dance. When the person drops the ham off the pole, the tomato fight starts. The tomatoes come from Extremadura. The tomatoes there are less expensive and are grown specially for the festival. The number of tomatoes used is about 150, 000. After exactly one hour, the fight ends. The whole square becomes red because there is tomato juice everywhere. Then hoses are used to clean the square and to wash away the tomato juice on people’s bodies. After that, the town goes back to the way it was.
The local government has made some rules for the safety of people. One of them is as follows: People have to squash(把……挤软) the tomatoes before throwing in order not to hurt other people.
The Tomatina Festival has inspired other similar celebrations in other parts of the world, for example, in the city of Dongguan, Guangdong Province, China, a tomato fight is held on October 19th.
1. During the Tomatina Festival in Spain, people throw tomatoes .| A．to show they are angry | B．to make money | C．for fun | D．for exercise |
| A．rules for | B．activities during | C．future of | D．origin of |
| A．in Extremadura | B．in October | C．near a river | D．in August |
| A．The tomato fight in Spain lasts for a day. |
| B．The local government made rules in order to protect people. |
| C．The tomatoes used during the Tomatina Festival in Spain are expensive. |
| D．The tomato fight in Guangdong is on the same day as the Tomatina Festival in Spain. |
In a quiet suburb, there lived a high school student named Liam. He was the son of two chemistry. Naturally, everyone thought Liam would follow in his parents’ footsteps and chemistry. Naturally, everyone thought Liam would follow in his parents’ footsteps and pursue (致力于) a career in science and become a scientist. However, Liam’s heart was to put into something entirely different—he was passionate about literature and writing.
Each morning, Liam would wake up to hear his parents discuss the latest scientific discoveries and development over breakfast. One particular morning, Liam was upset, as the task of selecting his high school courses weighed heavily on him. He knew his parents would expect him to fill his schedule with science and math classes and engage in work related to science. At breakfast, Liam’s mother noticed his sadness and asked, “Is everything alright, Liam?” Liam hesitated (犹豫) but then replied, “I’m just thinking about my course selection for next semester.” His father cut in, “You should consider more science courses. They will prepare you for a great career in science, just like us.”
Throughout the day, the thought of disappointing his parents troubled Liam. He loved and respected them but felt hesitated between their expectations and his own ambition. That afternoon, Liam met his best friend, Sam, at their favorite cafe. “Liam, you seem worried. What’s on your mind?” Sam asked. Liam admitted, “I’m struggling with course selection. My parents want me to focus on science, but I really want to take more literature and writing classes.” Sam listened carefully and comforted him, “Liam, it’s important to follow your passion. Maybe you should talk to your parents about what you really want. They might be more understanding than you think.”
注意：
1. 续写词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Encouraged by Sam’s words, Liam decided to have an honest conversation with his parents that night.
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Liam’s parents listened intently, their expressions softening as they began to understand the depth of his passion.
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4 . What is the first thing you think of when you hear the word “Hollywood?” Fame or maybe money. Each actor or actress has their own way of becoming famous. But some
“I can prove what UNICEF means to children,
Audrey was born in Belgium on May 4th, 1929. When she was young, she
Audrey helped children throughout the world by supplying them with love and courage. Most of Hollywood’s stars only think about what will make them
Audrey is
| A．shine | B．revise | C．wander | D．respond |
| A．memorized | B．described | C．saved | D．followed |
| A．unless | B．because | C．until | D．while |
| A．training | B．relief | C．science | D．equipment |
| A．laugh over | B．defense against | C．doubt about | D．appointment as |
| A．went through | B．got across | C．made up | D．adapted to |
| A．cured | B．freed | C．shot | D．hidden |
| A．formally | B．independently | C．regularly | D．unfortunately |
| A．unable | B．curious | C．eager | D．likely |
| A．golden | B．tough | C．limited | D．free |
| A．discouraged | B．frightened | C．satisfied | D．stressed |
| A．danger | B．pain | C．note | D．test |
| A．questioned | B．addicted | C．admired | D．retired |
| A．trouble in | B．pressure from | C．selection from | D．devotion to |
| A．passed away | B．set off | C．broken down | D．dropped out |
1. What was the speaker’s feeling this morning?
| A．Excited. | B．Tired. | C．Nervous. |
| A．At 8:00. | B．At 8:30. | C．At 9:10. |
| A．The result of her competition. |
| B．Other swimmers’ behaviors. |
| C．The judge’s instructions. |
| A．47 points. | B．50 points. | C．53 points. |
Birds have been closely related to big harvests in the culture of the Miao ethnic group. The Miao people have loved birds for generations. That’s
Kala birdcages are famous for their remarkable firmness. Each cage is
With the growing
7 . Old dogs may not have an easy time learning new tricks, but it’s not a problem for cockatoos (凤头鹦鹉). In fact, researchers believe they teach one another. In Sydney, Australia, these birds have learned to lift the lids of rubbish bins. Then they can enjoy the treats inside. At first only birds in a few suburbs of Sydney could do the trick. But nearly two years later, the technique had spread to birds in 44 suburbs. Cockatoos proved to be smart birds and good learners.
Cockatoos are some of the most fascinating birds in the world. Members of the parrot family, they live in Australia and parts of Southeast Asia. Their striking good looks, intelligence and social nature make them popular pets.
One of the most distinctive features of cockatoos is the crest (羽冠) of feathers on their heads. The birds can raise or lower these feathers at will. If it is excited or scared, a cockatoo will raise its crest to show its emotions.
Cockatoos have powerful beaks (喙) that they use to open seeds and nuts—or rubbish bin lids. They are also versed in using tools. In the wild, some cockatoos use sticks to get insects out of tree bark. Others use small stones to crack open hard-shelled nuts.
Cockatoos are also very social. In the wild, they form large flocks of up to several hundred individuals. They make different sounds to communicate with one another. They engage in playful behaviours such as dancing and cleaning each other’s feathers.
As pets, the birds can form strong bonds with their owners and be entertaining companions. But cockatoos can be challenging pets to keep. They require a lot of attention and social interaction. If they don’t get it, they can become bored and destroy things. Cockatoos live long lives—around 70 years—making keeping one a serious responsibility.
Rather than committing to caring for one at home, enjoy the birds in the wild. Who knows what trick they will learn next!
1. What is Paragraph 1 aimed at?| A．Clarifying the weakness of old dogs. |
| B．Explaining the techniques of cockatoos. |
| C．Introducing a study in Sydney, Australia. |
| D．Confirming the intelligence of cockatoos. |
| A．Skillful. | B．Inexperienced. |
| C．Interested. | D．Hard-working. |
| A．Optimistic. | B．Disapproving. |
| C．Indifferent. | D．Unclear. |
| A．Pets—Trick or Treat | B．Cockatoos—Beauty and Brains |
| C．Pets—Dogs or Cockatoos | D．Cockatoos—Social but Shy |
8 . After their three children grew up and left home, Margaret Thompson and her husband, Kenneth, stretched their legs together on walking holidays in Switzerland. In Interlaken, they would head up the mountain and watch the paragliders (滑翔伞运动员) launch themselves into the sky. Back in town, in a large park, they watched them return to the earth. “Some day I’d love to do that,” Thompson told Kenneth.
But there was always so much to do in Interlaken. Besides, Thompson didn’t know if Kenneth would have enjoyed it. He was not so keen on heights as I was, she said. So she continued to watch the gliders take flight and land.
Kenneth died in 2005. Eleven years later, Thompson finally took to the skies herself, in a paraglider at the age of 80. Although some people get scared while flying, she said she just feels free. Thompson did her second paraglide when she turned 85, and raised nearly £2, 000 for a local charity.
Before leaving Interlaken after her second flight, Thompson asked the organizers about the age limit for paragliding. They said: “Any age, as long as you’re fit.” Thompson, now 86, plans her third flight for when she is 90.
Thompson grew up living above her parents’ shop in Belfast. At 18, she helped in the shop while studying for her music diploma in Stranmillis, south Belfast. She started to teach piano to local children, and at the height of her teaching she gave 70 lessons a week. She still has 15 pupils. “Over the years I’ve had so many that I’m teaching their children now.”
Is she scared of getting older? “Fear? No. People say: ‘Isn’t getting old awful?’ I say: ‘No. You are free to do more of the things that you want to do.’” “People might worry about falling, it being the end of them. But that doesn’t bother me at all. When it’s your time, it’s your time. No matter where you are.” Thompson added.
1. What can we know about Thompson from the first two paragraphs?| A．She appreciated being alone. | B．She was crazy about paragliding. |
| C．She often worked overtime. | D．She didn’t fit in with her husband. |
| A．Courageous and optimistic. | B．Sensitive and open-minded. |
| C．Romantic and cautious. | D．Considerate and humorous. |
| A．To compare different old people. | B．To inspire people to care for the old. |
| C．To show getting old isn’t so unpleasant. | D．To erase doubts about old people’s health. |
| A．Aging makes a difference. | B．Time and tide wait for no man. |
| C．Rome wasn’t built in a day. | D．It’s never too late to fulfill a dream. |
1. What problem did the senior citizens have?
| A．They got trapped in the fallen trees. |
| B．They were stuck in the wheelchairs. |
| C．Fallen leaves blocked their walking paths. |
| A．Jay Garrett. | B．Barry. | C．Wally, West. |
| A．They sent them to the landfill. |
| B．They took them to the farm. |
| C．They used them to grow crops. |
1. What produces all the energy in BedZED?
| A．Special boards. | B．The British climate. | C．The roofs of the buildings. |
| A．The natural environment. | B．Shared work stations. | C．Back gardens. |
| A．The green lifestyle. | B．The parking space. | C．The public transportation. |
| A．By underground. | B．By bike. | C．By car. |
