1 . Will you go on this ride with me? ”my friend’s eleven-year-old daughter Jenny asked. She stared at the ride, eager to experience the same excitement as the brave group of riders in front of us. I couldn’t say no.
After climbing into our seats, an attendant reached up, pulled down the bar, and locked it in place. The ride lifted us slowly, then turned us over like the blueberry pancakes I had eaten three hours earlier, and hoped to keep in their proper place. As I stared at the concrete directly below us, I had a sudden feeling of great fear. I wondered if I had replacement coverage (保险) for the phone that I was sure would slip out of my pocket and break into a million tiny pieces. I wondered when my new health insurance would kick in.
The ride touched down after twisting and turning our bodies. My friend was waiting for us at the exit. “How was it?” she asked. “Fine. No big deal,” I said, even though my head was spinning (旋转) like one of the other annoying machines dotting the midway.
Jenny walked ahead of us and convinced me to keep taking chances and sample more rides
“Oh, look at the pirate ship (海盗船)!” she said. “That looks like a calm ride.”
“Let’s go, Auntie!” she said as she rushed to join others in line.
I followed her, feeling confident the ride would be uneventful. When I reached the bottom, I tapped out like a WWF wrestler admitting defeat. Although my body was shaking and my head was still spinning, I felt exhilarated just like I was on the top of the world. That morning, I set a goal, took my first step to reach it, and felt the joy of achievement.
Each time you try something for the first time, you will grow — a little piece of the fear of the unknown is removed and replaced with a sense of satisfaction.
1. What made the author decide to try riding with Jenny?| A．The eagerness in Jenny’s eyes. |
| B．The curiosity about the unknown. |
| C．The encouragement from other riders. |
| D．The desire to experience something exciting. |
| A．She lost her phone. | B．She got into a panic. |
| C．She was served pancakes. | D．She almost fell off the seat. |
| A．Relaxed. | B．Confused. | C．Excited. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．He who hesitates is lost. |
| B．It’s never too late to learn. |
| C．Life is like riding a pirate ship. |
| D．It’s worthwhile to try something new. |
Xu Beihong (1895-1953) was important in modern Chinese folk art. During his lifetime, he developed the tradition of combining poetry with painting. Between 1933 and 1940, he
Chinese New Year Painting is a special Chinese art form. Usually it is put on walls, doors or windows. As Spring Festival
4 . For a little girl growing up in Colombia, a science career with NASA may seem impossible. Trujillo, however, is an aerospace engineer who leads a team at the NASA laboratory
How did Trujillo go from simply dreaming about the universe to
Born in 1983, even as a young girl Trujillo was certain of her passion for science. But she doubted how far she’d be able to
Trujillo took a series of housekeeping
Then came another life-changing moment. She became the first Hispanic (西班牙语国家的) woman to be
This February, when the Perseverance rover landed on the surface of Mars, it was
Trujillo’s own story is
| A．eager | B．responsible | C．concerned | D．grateful |
| A．actually | B．hardly | C．precisely | D．repeatedly |
| A．innocence | B．kindness | C．perseverance | D．sympathy |
| A．respond | B．rise | C．invest | D．apply |
| A．made up | B．turned up | C．picked up | D．took up |
| A．measures | B．activities | C．jobs | D．courses |
| A．skip | B．panic | C．explain | D．complain |
| A．applied | B．admitted | C．assigned | D．introduced |
| A．accompanied | B．restricted | C．enhanced | D．teased |
| A．theory | B．information | C．competence | D．proof |
5 . When I was eight, I wanted a toy and needed $10 to buy it. But, as usual, I was broke. I decided to ask my 11-year-old sister, Kathleen, for a loan. She agreed to
“Compound interest — what’s that?” I asked.
“Well, interest is the
“Sure. I get it,” I said. Though truthfully, I was getting
Kathleen lent me the money, and I
Several months later, on Christmas morning, my sister and I each found a $20 bill in our stockings. I was just putting it into my pocket when Kathleen stopped me.
“Sorry, that’s mine. I’m
“Huh?” Then I remembered the loan. “Hey! How can it be that much? I only borrowed $10.
“True,” she said, “but
I refused to
| A．hand | B．lend | C．give | D．pay |
| A．limited | B．exact | C．extra | D．same |
| A．satisfied | B．confused | C．frightened | D．encouraged |
| A．sold | B．made | C．fixed | D．bought |
| A．put off | B．took up | C．ended up | D．started off |
| A．relying | B．focusing | C．carrying | D．collecting |
| A．interest | B．cost | C．tax | D．salary |
| A．announce | B．promise | C．prove | D．believe |
| A．annoyance | B．regret | C．relief | D．delight |
| A．questioned | B．explained | C．learned | D．explored |
After earning a master’s degree in 2016, Huang Wenxiu returned to Baise, her hometown, instead of
Romanticism has been a part of human creative expression for
Before I went to middle school, I had dreamed of becoming a teacher. I am sure that it takes great efforts to make my dream come true. So I learn as much as I can from teachers and textbooks. I make full use of my spare time to read books
9 . If you’re an English learner or an English speaker looking to widen your vocabulary, a good dictionary app is a must.
Merriam-Webster
Merriam-Webster is a well-known and highly trusted dictionary. The app provides quality definitions, audio pronunciations and usage examples. It even lets you search for words by speaking them! This feature is perfect when you hear a word you don’t understand but aren’t sure how it’s written.
Oxford Dictionary of English
The Oxford Dictionary of English app is a comprehensive and reliable resource for English language reference. The app provides clear and concise definitions, along with audio pronunciations and example sentences. You can also access synonyms, antonyms and word origins. Additionally, the app offers offline functionality, allowing you to access the dictionary even without an internet connection.
Vocabulary.com
The Vocabulary.com dictionary app is excellent for English learners because it has very easy-to-understand definitions. The site says it’s “as if your favorite teacher were explaining it to you.” Each definition has explanations of what the word means and also when and how you would use it. It even turns learning into a game by letting you earn points!
FluentU
FluentU takes real-world videos and turns them into personalized language learning lessons. It uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the English language and culture over time. You’ll learn English as it’s spoken in real life. The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It even reminds you when it’s time to review!
1. Merriam-Webster app can help English learners ________.| A．find right words to speak perfect English |
| B．search for a word even without an internet connection |
| C．learn difficult words by practicing more and reviewing |
| D．look for a word when they are unsure about its spelling |
| A．Merriam-Webster. | B．Oxford Dictionary of English. |
| C．Vocabulary.com. | D．FluentU. |
| A．To recommend useful dictionary apps. |
| B．To give suggestions on English learning. |
| C．To offer advice on how to use a dictionary app. |
| D．To introduce the sources of English vocabulary. |
When I hurried to the store, I saw that the books were already being packed into
