1 . 阅读下面短文, 在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Shark fin soup,     1     is a famous and expensive dish in southern China, is endangering certain species of sharks and threatening the ocean’s ecosystem.

Sharks are     2     the top of the food chain and they are of great     3     (important)for the ocean’s ecosystem. However, around 70 million sharks     4     (kill)for the fin soup each year and the number of sharks has been falling during the last decades. If their number drops     5     (low)than the current level, life circle in the ocean will be     6     (serious)threatened.

Environmental protection     7     (group)around the world, such as WildAid, are trying to stop the fin soup. They have even asked governments     8     (pass)laws to ban the sale of shark fins. But     9     is not enough. We need to stop     10     (enjoy)the fin soup to save our sharks.

2 . Why does the man stay outside the house?

A．He’s leaving for the lab.

B．He didn’t bring the key.

C．He wants some fresh air.

3 . Explore the Woonasquatucket

Below is a list of the “Explore the Woonasquatucket” summer recreational activities, which include paddles, bike rides, and hikes. The activities are sponsored by the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council.

Explore Downtown Providence

Explore a beautiful stretch of hidden wilderness from the water and learn about the exciting. Plans for the development of the Promenade/Kinsley section of the Woonasquatucket River. We will start at the boat launch on South Water St.

Date: August 29
Time:5: 00 PM -7 : 00 PM
Cost: $ 10.50

Paddle Georgiaville Pond

Relax on this early evening paddle on Georgiaville Pond in Smithfield. We’ Il launch from the Smith - Appleby House and make our way to the town beach, where participants are invited to take a short hike to the Georgiaville Pond dam.

Date: September 1
Time:5 : 00 PM-7 : 00 PM
Cost: $ 15.50

A Promenade on the Promenade

Join us on a biking tour of the historic Promenade / Kinsley Avenue stretch of the Woonasquatucket River. On this bike tour, we’ll look to the past of this storied corridor(狭长地带).

Date: September 9
Time:5 : 30 PM -7 : 30 PM
Cost: $ 12.50

Hike Connors Farm Conservation Area

Located in the Town of Smithfield, Rhode Island, Connors Farm is a 2.9-mile loop trail (环形线路)that passes by small brooks (溪)and ponds and features a picnic area at the top of a lookout spot.

Date: September 18
Time: 5: 00 PM -7 : 00 PM
Cost: $ 11.50
1. How will people get around during the activity on August 29?

A．By bike.

B．By boat.

C．By bus.

D．On foot.

2. Which activity is history-themed?

A．Paddle Georgiaville Pond.	B．Explore Downtown Providence.
C．A Promenade on the Promenade.	D．Hike Connors Farm Conservation Area.

3. How much should a couple pay for the Connors Farm trip?

A．$11.50.

B．$ 23.

C．$25.

D．$31.

4 . We did a quick survey of New Year traditions around the world, and couldn’t help but notice that the traditions might reflect cultural varieties? but the meanings behind them are pretty universal.

Philippines

In Philippines? families hold traditional dinner parties called Media Noche to greet the New Year. Circle-shaped fruits are their favorites, such as grapes, oranges and melons, since they look like coins, you know. Filipinos actually try to choose 12 different kinds of fruit to put on the table—one for each month in the New Year.

Make sure you leave some food in your plate. It’s bad luck to start the New Year off as a hungry wolf.

Spain

Many Spaniards will eat 12 fresh grapes at midnight—one with each strike of the clock. Each grape represents a wish for happiness and good luck for every month in the coming year. This “12 grapes in 12 seconds“ custom came from a grape farmer in the Alicante region who wanted to promote his produce about a century ago. The tradition has spread to other countries too? with a few adjustments. In Portugal? they eat 12 dried grapes. In Peru? they eat a thirteenth grape.

Denmark

In Denmark_? they eat kransekage, a big horn-shaped cake, on New Year’s Eve. When they’re finished with the cake, it’s Danish custom to throw the used plates against the front doors of their friends and neighbors. It’s actually a sign of friendship.

Italy

Pork sausages are usually served on New Year’s Eve in Italy. Italians choose pork because they think pigs are fat and keep moving forward, while other animals, such as chickens or cows, move backward or stand still.

But whatever you eat into the New Year in Italy-pork, fish or chicken-make sure you stay at home. Italians throw old possessions out of the window after midnight as an out-with-the-old, make-room-for-the-new gesture.

1. How many kinds of fruit are usually served at Media Noche?

A．6.

B．8.

C．10.

D．12.

2. Who eat dried grapes at midnight to greet the New Year?

A．The Portuguese.

B．Spaniards.

C．Filipinos.

D．Italians.

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

A．Eating special meat.

B．Throwing away old things.

C．Leaving food in plates.

D．Preferring coin-shaped fruits.

5 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

More than three decades after writing his first poem     1     a teenager in the mountains of northern China, Chen Nianxi is living a literary dream. He has published two books which are well received by people. For more than 15 years, he labored in gold, iron and zinc mines across China, detonating explosives (引爆炸药) by day and     2    (create) poems on the backs of newspapers at night.

His poems speak of the     3    (lonely) of the mines, the deaths of fellow workers and the distance between modern life and his work underground. This summer, two years after publishing his first poetry collection, he published a book of essays, To Live Is to Shout at the Sky     4     title comes from a poem that     5    (write) after a night of singing with his fellow workers at a mine in Xinjiang. Qinqiang is    6     type of traditional opera from northwestern Shaanxi Province.

Chen     7     (struggle) for inspiration for the past few years. “We still need abundant, diverse works     8    (support) contemporary literature and culture,” Chen said, adding     9     he hoped his work “will     10    (broad) modern people’s perspectives or remind them to look downward a bit”.

6 . For everyone who hates setting their alarm an hour earlier to hit the gym, scientists may have some good news.

Afternoon workouts lead to better outcomes for some people, according to a study published this year. The study, which looked at men who are at risk for or have Type2 diabetes (糖尿病) found that participants who exercised in the afternoon experienced more metabolic (新陈代谢的) benefits as well as more positive effects on their exercise performance and fat mass compared to participants who exercised in the morning.

“Our body has a biological clock and this regulates many processes in the body and these processes have a rhythm,” said Patrick Schrauwen, a professor of metabolic aspects of Type 2 diabetes at Maastricht University in the Netherlands.

“Some of these are well known, like your body temperature and your blood pressure.” Schrauwen said. “Our biological clocks also influence our metabolism and whether our bodies burn fat or carbohydrates at certain times,” he added. And for study participants who were fat or at risk for Type 2 diabetes, those fat-burning processes were more efficient in the afternoon hours. Higher body temperatures in the afternoon may also help improve corporal performance, almost like a built-in daily warm-up.

“When you start to realize how strong this biological clock can be and then if you do the things like food intake on the wrong time of the day, or being active on the wrong time of the day or being inactive at times when you should be active, this can have a major influence.” Schrauwen added. “The good news is that you can also use it for your benefit.”

It can be especially helpful for competitive athletes or people training for a race to exercise in the afternoon of a day. For example, Schrauwen said he worked with a football team that was able to improve their performance by moving practice to the afternoon.

1. What is the good news mentioned in the text?

A．People do not need to set their alarm earlier any more.

B．Exercise in the afternoon is good for all human beings.

C．The men with Type 2 diabetes can be treated by exercising in the afternoon.

D．Some people get more benefits when they exercise in the afternoon.

2. What is the scientific basis of Patrick Schrauwen’s study?

A．Our bodies have a regular system.	B．Our bodies can adjust to a new habit.
C．The patients with diabetes burn fat faster.	D．People can do warm-up inside their bodies.

3. What does the underlined word “corporal” mean in paragraph 4?

A．Memorial.

B．Physical.

C．Natural.

D．Mental.

4. How did Schrauwen prove his research?

A．By working with other scientists.	B．By comparing the results from different people.
C．By trying it with specific groups.	D．By helping participants at risk for diabetes.

7 . Young male African elephants show calmer behavior when older, more experienced male elephants are around, according to a new study. Experts say the discovery could help to protect both elephants and humans.

Researchers from the University of Exeter, in south-west England and the charity Elephants for Africa studied the behavior of 281 male elephants (known as bulls) in Botswana’s Makgadikgadi Pans National Park over three years. At between 12 and 15 years old, bull elephants leave the herd where they grow up and then spend much of their time either alone or with other males. Females, in contrast, stay with the herd they were born into.

To see if there were patterns in the way males behaved after leaving their herd, the researchers divided them into four groups: two groups of adolescents (aged 10-15 or 16-20 years old), and two groups of adults (aged 21-25 or over 26 years old). They found that the younger males were more likely to be aggressive towards non-elephant targets, such as other animals and vehicles when there were fewer older adult bulls to mix with. Connie Allen from the University of Exeter, who led the study, suggests this may be because the young bulls on their own are less experienced at identifying threats to their safety. That means they are more likely to become fearful, which makes them attack.

Allen said the research revealed an important role for older male elephants who have often been thought of as not very useful in elephant society. This mistaken belief has led wildlife authorities to allow some hunting of older males, reducing their numbers and their possible calming influence on younger bulls. In the area where the elephants live, 71% of people said they felt that elephants threaten their safety. The research suggests that having more older males could help with the problem.

1. How do bull elephants differ from female elephants?

A．They leave the herd.

B．They stay with the herd.

C．They behave violently.

D．They are more independent.

2. Why do younger male elephants attack people or vehicles?

A．They protect their herd from danger.

B．They are too young to recognize threats.

C．They are frightened by non-elephant targets.

D．They are not protected well by older elephants.

3. Which statement will the author probably agree with?

A．Older male elephants are less important in elephant society.

B．It is reasonable to allow some hunting of older male elephants.

C．Older male elephants can help reduce elephant attack.

D．People’s safety is threatened by older male elephants.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Old Elephants Threaten People’s Safety

B．Old Male Elephants Keep Young Calm

C．Young Elephants Are More Aggressive

D．Bull Elephants Tend to Leave the Herd

8 . 4 Books for Your Christmas List

These spectacular books would make fantastic presents this Christmas.

Journey to the River Sea

by Eva Ibbotson.

Illustrated by Katie Hickey

(Macmillan Children’s Books)

In this children’s classic, travel deep into the Amazon jungle in search of adventure with heroine Mala. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of an award-winning, best-selling story this gift edition comes packed with lots of colorful artwork from illustrator Katie Hickey.

Little People Big Dreams Treasury

by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara and Lisbeth Kaiser

(Frances Lincoln Children’s book)

In this wonderfully illustrated collection you can explore the fascinating true stories of 50 brilliant “dreamers” including activists like Greta Thunberg, artists such as Frida Kahlo, musicians, scientists, sporting legends and writers.

Daughter of the Deep

by Rick Riordan

(Puffin Books)

Percy Jackson author Rick Riordan’s latest book is a thrilling sci-fi adventure set in an academy for underwater explorers. During the sea-trials at the end of their first year, Ana and her classmates witness a terrible tragedy and soon begin to uncover deep, dark secrets and age-old rivalries.

Everyone Sang

by William Sieghart.

Illustrated by Emily Sutton

(Walker Books)

If you like poetry, you’ll love this illustrated collection, which is divided into four sections: Poems to Make You Smile; Poems to Move You; Poems to Give You Hope; and Poems to Calm and Connect You. Poets such as Carol Ann Duffy and Lemn Sissay are included.

1. Which book tells true stories about some famous people?

A．Journey to the River Sea.

B．Little People Big Dreams Treasury.

C．Daughter of the Deep.

D．Everyone Sang.

2. What kind of book is Daughter of the Deep?

A．A folk tale.	B．A biography.
C．A science fiction.	D．A true story.

3. What is special about Everyone Sang?

A．It is written by Eva Ibbotson.

B．Itis intended for poetry lovers.

C．It is one of the best-selling hooks.

D．It contains stories about Lemn Sissay.

9 . In your spoken English class, your teacher slows you the following picture. You are asked to describe the picture and explain how you understand it.

注意：词数100左右
基本分析：
1.三分之一描写要点：阳光，楼(很靠近)，弯曲的树。(the sun，two apartments flats closely-locate d.the winding/twisted tree)
2.三分之二议论着眼立意：
—人生角度：在成长的道路上(树的成长)，有曲折，有困难，(建筑的阻挡，弯曲)但是只要向着光明和希望(太阳)去努力拼搏，坚持不懈，还是能够冲破桎梏取得成功(树在楼的夹缝中长高了，超出建筑)。
3.立意与现实生活关系：引导青年学生要具有积极的生活态度，生活就是不断克服各种艰难险阻而取得“大直若曲”的成功与胜利。
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10 . That your kids are learning at home doesn’t mean you don’t have time to take them on field trips. When you can’t get away, your kids can still travel by taking virtual field trips. We have prepared our list of favorites to help you keep your kids engaged and entertained.

AirPano

AirPano has a variety of tours in China, Portugal, Switzerland and more countries. Children can visit Zhangjiajie Glass Bridge in China, an underwater cave in Indonesia, ski resorts in France, and more destinations around the globe. What makes this site so good is that it offers narrations (解说) of several tours and provides closeups through interactive actions.

Will-O-Crest Farm

This 45-minute tour of Will-O-Crest Farm in New York state walks through every step of work on the farm. It shows how calves are housed, how cow are milked and everything in between. The video is hosted by a narrator with a live instructor (employee) from the farm onsite.

Yellowstone

Yellowstone offers seven virtual tours appropriate for school ages. There’s a lot of written information along with the images, and the tours aren’t in video. However, the information is fascinating, and the photos are wonderful. These tours are a great way for kids to discover unique facts about America.

Slime (粘液) in Space

What happens to slime when it’s in space? That’s the concept behind the Slime in Space virtual field trip. Featuring real astronauts and celebrities (名人), the 15-minute video shows kids how slime and water react in a microgravity environment. Along the way, it answers burning questions like. “Is slime a solid or a liquid?” and “Can you slime a person in space?”.

1. Who is the text intended for?

A．Graduates

B．Teachers

C．Farmers.

D．Parents.

2. Which of the following tours offers views of many countries?

A．AirPano	B．Yellowstone.
C．Slime in Space	D．Will-O-Crest Farm.

3. What can kids do on the tour of Yellowstone?

A．Interact with astronauts.	B．Learn how to milk cows.
C．Appreciate great pictures.	D．Watch videos of live tours.