1 . Discover the Huge Health Benefits of Strength Training

One of the best ways to stay fit and healthy as you age is to do strength and power training exercises. It is known that when you are in your thirties, you will begin to lose muscle mass. This loss actually contributes to achy joints, the increased risk of injury, and the “middle-age spread” we all fear. What’s more, the older you get, the faster muscle mass loses. It means that eventually, simple tasks like getting out of a chair and climbing stairs can become more difficult.

Strength training can help you build muscles, make you strong, increase your staying power and make everyday activities easier. By combining strength and power training exercises, you’ll not only get stronger, but also improve your reaction speed. As you grow older, that’s critical because it can help prevent falls. Here is a book, Strength and Power Training for All Ages, for your reference.

Common sense about fitness in the book:

·The key muscles to work for an injury-free body

·How to tell how much weight is suitable for you

·How to strengthen the bones most likely to break

·How to take pressure off your knees when walking or running

·Why you’ll want to apply heat to sore joints before you exercise

Four total body workouts in the book:

·Build bones

·Fight diseases

·Improve balance

·Strengthen muscles &Increase muscle power

Get a copy, start training, and then you’ll discover a whole new self.

1. What will happen as people age according to paragraph 1?

A．They will need less exercise.

B．They will improve reaction speed.

C．They will experience muscle loss.

D．They will have better staying power.

2. What does Strength and Power Training for All Ages mainly teach people to do?

A．Train their brains.	B．Build a sound body.
C．Treat bone diseases.	D．Cut down their weight.

3. What is the text?

A．A notice.	B．An oral folktale.
C．A scientific paper.	D．An advertisement.

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What does the woman see?

A．A birthday cake.

B．A photo.

C．A well-prepared party.

2. What do we know about the man’s grandma?

A．She is still healthy.

B．She was born in America.

C．She hates to have birthday parties.

3. How many daughters does the man’s grandma have?

A．2.

B．3.

C．5.

3 . For many kids, reading doesn’t come easily. For parents, they can read with their kids often, and trying these simple ways can help their kids become excited about reading.

    1     Kids are more likely to read something that interests them. For example, comics or joke books can be a fun pick for them. Once children are comfortable with reading, parents can encourage other options with a variety of more challenging content.

Read and reread.     2     Repetition is good! It helps them learn the text and in time read it with confidence. Each new reading of the book also may help them notice something new and understand the story a little better. And that positive experience can inspire them to try new books.

Read aloud. Reading aloud to kids helps them build their vocabulary, introduces new facts and ideas, and helps them connect sounds with letters on the page. By reading with kids, parents also show they enjoy reading for fun themselves!     3    

Create opportunities to read and write beyond the pages. It is necessary for parents to provide kids with many chances to read every day. Parents can write notes and leave them on children’s pillows, in a lunchbox or in a pocket. Parents can also ask friends and relatives to send postcards, letters, emails or text messages.     4     And parents may find children also creating words, sentences and stories. Teaching children to make a thank-you note in return for a thoughtful gift is useful, too.

Get help if parents are worried. If parents are concerned about their children’s abilities or willingness to read, they can get help.     5     The experts may be able to suggest ways to help children to get excited about reading.

A．Start with kids’ choices.

B．Reading aloud is not difficult for kids.

C．Parents should pick their own favorite readings.

D．Many kids reach for the same books again and again.

E．Parents had better talk to their children’s doctors or teachers.

F．Reading aloud provides time for parents and kids to enjoy together.

G．Besides, parents can leave some special letters and words on the fridge.

4 . Last year my daughter started feeding a homeless cat that we named Miss Alice. Since then, things have_________. First two other homeless cats that we named Garfield and Tang also showed up, wanting to be__________ . Some days later, the local __________noticed them and started flying down to enjoy any leftover cat food after those three had finished__________. Everything was going well. Now my daughter is like a Disney princess. Anytime she walks outside, the __________ gather around.

My daughter always treats them equally with care. The only one who seems ____________with this new arrangement is Miss Alice. She keeps __________the other two cats away from the food. The other day when I walked over to my daughter’ s house, Alice came up meowing(喵喵叫) asking to be___________. While I was touching her head and___________her back, Garfield and Tang also meowed for attention. But Miss Alice scared them away. She wasn’t___________to share anything about me.

The thing that Miss Alice___________understands is something that has taken me years to learn, too. It is the truth that the more love we share and___________ ,the more love we have. Some __________ people like my daughter seem to know a lot about___________. It is in sharing love that we can make__________with the world. It is in love that we support each other. May we all learn this even if poor Miss Alice never does.

1.

A．progressed

B．recovered

C．ended

D．worsened

2.

A．forgiven

B．guided

C．fed

D．reminded

3.

A．dogs

B．birds

C．kids

D．cats

4.

A．resting

B．fighting

C．playing

D．eating

5.

A．plants

B．animals

C．neighbours

D．classmates

6.

A．unhappy

B．unfamiliar

C．content

D．honest

7.

A．protecting

B．driving

C．choosing

D．escaping

8.

A．carried

B．identified

C．loved

D．looked

9.

A．petting

B．checking

C．catching

D．admiring

10.

A．careful

B．effective

C．concerned

D．willing

11.

A．hardly

B．fully

C．obviously

D．definitely

12.

A．pick out

B．break down

C．apply for

D．give away

13.

A．tough

B．passive

C．caring

D．humourous

14.

A．complaining

B．sharing

C．struggling

D．cheating

15.

A．achievements

B．arguments

C．comparisons

D．connections

5 . Let us continue with all sorts of great books. These four ones are worth reading.

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands

Kate Beaton is best known for humor. She tells how hopeless she was to pay off college loans, and she spent two years in her 20s working in the oil fields of Alberta. Beaton also considered how her years in the oil sands affected her own creativity. Her surroundings seemed almost designed to limit her imagination. The book is a vital turning point in the career of an important artist.

Nowhere Better Than Here

In her first middle grade novel, Sarah Guillory has written an exciting story about a brave girl fighting against the effects of climate change. When the worst flood in a century hits, thirteen-year-old Jillian is determined to find a way to keep her hometown Boutin and its spirit alive.

It Won’t Always Be Like This

Malaka Gharib has got a sharp eye for character details. Now in the book, Gharib revisits her teens. She tells about leaving Los Angeles, where she lived with her mother and visiting her father in Egypt every summer. Looking back at this time with adult eyes, she recalls her teen self with a mix of liking and anger.

Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life

It tells the true story of the author Jerry Pinkney’s childhood growing up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In the book, Jerry also mentions his reading and writing problems. Only drawing could offer him a sense of calm, control and confidence. Jerry eventually became one of the most celebrated children’s book illustrators (插图画家) of all time.

1. What did Beaton think of her days in oil fields?

A．It was full of mystery.

B．It was helpful to her works.

C．It narrowed her imagination.

D．It gave her inspiration for drawing.

2. Which of the following is its author’s first book?

A．Just Jerry: How Drawing Shaped My Life.

B．It Won’t Always Be Like This.

C．Nowhere Better Than Here.

D．Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands.

3. What do the last two books have in common?

A．They both mention the authors’ growth experiences.

B．They both describe the scenes of adulthood.

C．They both center on climate problems.

D．They both tell inspiring stories.

6 . The Chicago Botanic Garden opened more than 45 years ago as a beautiful place to visit, and it has matured into one of the world’s great living museums and conservation science centers.

Group Visit Packages
Garden Package

♦$41 per person

♦One activity/tour of your choice

♦Private dining area for one hour and lunch

Tours
Grand Tram Tour

♦35-minute guided tour departs on the hour starting at 10 am

♦Travels 2. 6 miles and shows the entire Garden grounds, including such highlights as 81 acres of lakes, nine islands, and beautiful gardens

♦Maximum capacity of 76 people

♦Available during peak season (April-October)

Activities
Butterflies & Blooms

For $6 more per person, put yourself in a habitat filled with more than 500 butterflies native to South America and North America. From late May through early September, 10 am — 5 pm. This visit takes approximately 20 minutes.

Model Railroad Garden

For $6 more per person, add a unique adventure to your package: 15 model trains journey coast-to-coast across bridges, through tunnels, and past miniature (微型的) scenes of America’s favorite landmarks. From mid-May to late October, 10 am—5 pm. This visit takes approximately 30 minutes.

Specialty Tours
Library Tour

This tour package includes a rare book viewing, a library tour, and an exhibition tour. Maximum 30 people per tour. This tour takes approximately 50 minutes.

Garden Highlights Walking Tour

On this tour, you will be taken to a garden in full bloom. Areas for touring are determined on the day of your visit and are based on blooms and the group’s capacity to walk. This tour takes approximately 35 minutes.

1. What do we know about Grand Tram Tour?

A．It has no time restriction.

B．It offers eight tours a day.

C．It is available all year round.

D．It limits the number of visitors.

2. How much should you pay to enjoy the wonderful scene of butterflies?

A．$6.

B．$20.

C．$41.

D．$ 47.

3. Which of the following can help you learn about landmarks in America?

A．Library Tour.	B．Model Railroad Garden.
C．Butterflies & Blooms.	D．Garden Highlights Walking Tour.

7 . As you walk around the UK in March, you might notice that some people are wearing a daffodil(水仙花) on their coats. The British wear these yellow flowers to show they support one of this country’s best-known charities: the Marie Curie Cancer Care.

The Marie Curie Cancer Care tries to ensure everyone diagnosed with cancer is cared for in the best possible way. It also helps fund research into possible cures through other organizations. Founded in 1948, it has been continuing with its goal ever since.

The charity was named after Marie Curie, a renowned scientist. She experimented with newly-discovered elements to create the theory of radioactivity. Unfortunately, over-exposure to the radioactive elements made her develop a disease and die in 1934. Marie Curie won the Nobel Prize in two different fields. Because of her pioneering work which led to chemotherapy (化学疗法), the charity shared the name of Marie Curie.

The daffodil is one of the first plants to flower during spring in the UK, which marks the return of flowering plants to the ecosystem after winter. Because of this, the charity uses the daffodil as a metaphor for bringing life to other people through charitable giving.

Everyone you see wearing a daffodil has donated money to the charity, but each daffodil is worth only what you want to pay for it. The charity does ask that you stick to a minimum amount of £1.

The charity encourages people to start wearing their daffodils at the start of March, when the “Great Daffodil Appeal” kicks off. But that doesn’t mean you can only wear them in March. People are sometimes seen walking around with daffodils on their clothes all year round.

1. What does it mean when the British wear a daffodil on their coats?

A．They support a charity.	B．They are recovering from cancer.
C．They’ve been helped by a charity.	D．They’ve been diagnosed with cancer.

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

A．Beautiful.

B．Modest.

C．Famous.

D．Humorous.

3. Why was the charity named after Marie Curie?

A．Because patients required that.	B．Because it was launched by her.
C．Because she greatly supported it.	D．Because it could show respect for her.

4. What can we learn about the daffodil from the text?

A．It can be used as medicine.	B．It’s thought to stand for hope.
C．It’s widely worn worldwide.	D．It’s sold to the wearers at a high price.

8 . When the TV station reported a coming cold storm in southeast Idaho, farmers immediately took_________. Most of the farmers had to work 16-18 hours a day to get their potatoes, before the cold air fell deep into the soil. Snow was_________hard and fast. However, one farmer in Hamer, Idaho, about 32 miles north of Idaho Falls, was_________to gather all of his crop in time.

Realizing his_________, his neighbors, working unitedly with their fellow farmers, sent their workers to_________his crop. With trucks loaded with equipment, _________workers and farmers didn’t think twice about reaching out to a farmer_________.

Dozens of members of the_________also joined in the help. They all showed up just in time as temperatures hit 2_________ overnight. Jason Larson, a farmer who lived nearby, sent 25 workers to__________in the emergency operations. With the crisis averted (避免), it is__________that the community worked hand in hand to save several hundred thousand dollars__________of potatoes.

Larson witnessed (见证) all this and said, “It was just kind of neat to see everyone help. It was pretty__________to help someone in need. What people do is that they help their neigh-bor. There__________wasn’t a second thought about it. This kind of thing__________every day.”

1.

A．action

B．effect

C．part

D．charge

2.

A．rising

B．rushing

C．quitting

D．falling

3.

A．lucky

B．unable

C．easy

D．slow

4.

A．fortune

B．mind

C．trouble

D．question

5.

A．buy

B．plant

C．sell

D．save

6.

A．overtired

B．terrified

C．confident

D．satisfied

7.

A．on end

B．in need

C．at times

D．at all

8.

A．community

B．company

C．station

D．school

9.

A．points

B．areas

C．degrees

D．squares

10.

A．escape

B．focus

C．watch

D．assist

11.

A．promised

B．said

C．proved

D．admitted

12.

A．size

B．quantity

C．worth

D．quality

13.

A．cool

B．hard

C．clever

D．shy

14.

A．only

B．mostly

C．mildly

D．really

15.

A．goes off

B．goes on

C．passes away

D．fades away

9 . Four ways to be admired

Gaining admiration requires honesty, hard work, perseverance and some other qualities.    1    

Lead, don’t follow.

People who are admired are unafraid to do something new or different.    2    You can be a leader even among those who have greater official authority than you by convincing others to follow a certain course or act in a certain way. Leadership requires more than speaking and acting in an inspirational and influential way. You must also be willing to take responsibility when something needs doing.

    3    

It means you will stand by the things you believe. Admirable individuals try to keep their personal integrity (诚信) by staying true to who they are even when it is unpopular or questioned. However, standing by your principles (原则) and acting with integrity doesn’t mean that you are unwilling to accept or consider other ideas.

Take a positive attitude.

A positive attitude doesn’t mean pretending that everything is great all the time. That is unrealistic.    4    Try to be positive about some negative situations, and maybe things will get better.

Work hard.

Whether you’re working for minimum wage or managing a large company, you should always take pride in your work. Doing so will show that you are capable of doing your part. Go above and beyond in your workplace by giving your all on the job. If you make pizzas, make the best pizza you can every time.    5    Take pride in your work and doing it will be a pleasure, not a hard job. Keep your office or workspace clean and well-organized.

A．Stick to your principles.

B．Show personal integrity.

C．If you clean the floors, make it perfectly.

D．No matter who you are, earning admiration requires many skills.

E．Being a leader doesn’t necessarily mean you are in a higher position.

F．It is important to push people in the workplace to make them feel relaxed.

G．Instead, recognize when things are bad but look for the good in every situation.

10 . I ran into a friend a few days ago and greeted him in the familiar way. He gave the usual _____________ --“I’m doing fine”, but he _____________ two words “I guess” to the beginning of his greeting. That totally changed the meaning. His _____________ expression matched the two added words._____________, he wasn’t doing well. So I dug a little deeper and found he really was _____________ with some big issues.

In today’s world of fast and quickly _____________   social media, we are given the _____________ that the people there have near perfect lives. Look at anyone’s personal blog and you’ll see all these fun pictures and comments. Much of what we see is the good _____________. Of course there is really nothing wrong with that, but it can make a lot of people feel or _____________ that their own lives are full of challenges and various problems, ______________ self-pity and depression.

The ______________ is that nobody’s life is perfect. Just looking from the outside, you might be ______________ thinking that other people are doing much better than you. If you look on a deeper __________, you will see that the surface view can be very ____________ . That is because most of us don’t show our problems but prefer to show our ____________.

So, don’t admire other people’s near perfect sides any more. No matter how ______________ their lives look from the outside, they have their problems and ______________ too. Try to understand yourself better and ______________ the self-pity or feelings of “not as good as other people”. It can make your depression ____________ . Even better, you can see yourself in a(n) ____________ angle and have higher self-esteem(自尊).

1.

A．point

B．description

C．response

D．goal

2.

A．added

B．created

C．wrote

D．spelt

3.

A．ridiculous

B．facial

C．lovely

D．grateful

4.

A．Obviously

B．Eventually

C．Gradually

D．Excitedly

5.

A．slipping

B．infecting

C．competing

D．struggling

6.

A．emerging

B．expanding

C．dismissing

D．disappearing

7.

A．impression

B．permission

C．pressure

D．affection

8.

A．staff

B．dialect

C．catalogue

D．stuff

9.

A．express

B．decide

C．believe

D．report

10.

A．asking

B．causing

C．damaging

D．losing

11.

A．idea

B．fact

C．hope

D．opinion

12.

A．panicked into

B．given up

C．tricked into

D．cleared up

13.

A．scale

B．occasion

C．level

D．course

14.

A．interesting

B．disappointing

C．developing

D．misleading

15.

A．successes

B．frustrations

C．setbacks

D．downsides

16.

A．perfect

B．poor

C．low

D．cold

17.

A．strengths

B．challenges

C．desires

D．influences

18.

A．obtain

B．possess

C．remove

D．sense

19.

A．react

B．exist

C．float

D．lift

20.

A．frequent

B．soft

C．evident

D．different