1 . Lamar Giles is the author of several praised novels and short stories for young adults. His most recent novel is called The Getaway (Scholastic Press, 2022).

I recently spoke with Giles via video. Born and raised in Virginia, he has had a passion for writing, he told me, since he was a child. “It was just amusing to me,” he said.

Growing up in Hopewell, Giles experienced poverty and racism. He recalled a frightening moment when he and his friends were stopped by police officers. “They were pulling out really big, scary weapons,” Giles recalled, “threatening us for no reason, other than the fact that we were young, Black children.”

When Giles was in his early 20s, he met professional authors who showed him that he could make a living doing what he loved. At age 21, he saw one of his stories published in a little-known magazine. It took another decade for Giles to write and publish his first novel.

The challenges Giles met with when growing up proved to be a catalyst (催化剂) for his writing. “When something scares me, I’ll write about it,” he said. “If I write a story around it, it makes me feel better about the fear and anxiety.”

The author’s thriller (惊险小说) for young adults, Fake ID (Amistad Books for Young Readers, 2015), tells the story of Nick Pearson. The character, who is Black, faces racial profiling in his hometown, as Giles did. Nick is suspected of committing a crime because of his race and his “shady” neighborhood. In one scene, he is held at the county jail after being falsely accused by a governor of a state.

Giles is also a co-founder of We Need Diverse Books. The nonprofit organization promotes diversity initiatives in the publishing industry, supporting authors whose stories are often ignored. The goal, Giles said, is to enable all kids to see themselves in the books they read.

1. What does the underlined word “It” in paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Video.

B．Novel.

C．Passion.

D．Writing.

2. Which statement best describes Giles’ childhood?

A．He tried his best to write books.	B．He lived in poverty and horror.
C．He lived under police protection.	D．He got along well with his friends.

3. How did the challenges Giles met with affect him?

A．They inspired him to write.	B．They changed his attitude to life.
C．They prevented him turning a writer.	D．They made him become strong-willed.

4. What do we know about the character of Fake ID?

A．He was Giles’ best friend.	B．He devoted himself to writing.
C．He was wrongly imprisoned.	D．He founded a nonprofit organization.

2 . The glass armonica (玻璃琴), also known as a glass harmonica or simply armonica, is a musical instrument that produces sound by rubbing glass with wet fingers. It was invented by Benjamin Franklin in 1761.

The instrument consists of a series of glass bowls of varying sizes, fixed straight on a spindle (轴). The glass bowls are arranged in order of size, with the largest bowl on one end and the smallest on the other.

Franklin came up with the idea after attending a concert in Cambridge. The performer was rubbing wine glasses to produce musical notes. Franklin thought that was not efficient. He decided to invent a set of musical instruments made of glass.

So, he hired a London glassmaker to construct 36 bowls to specific thicknesses and sizes. He fixed the bowls horizontally on a spindle with the largest bowl on one end and the smallest on the other. In this way the musician can play the glass bowls like a keyboard.

The glass armonica became prevalent during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Mozart and Beethoven both composed chamber pieces for it.

But by the 1820s, it was nearly a forgotten instrument in fears that it had the power to drive the listener mad. Some armonica players became ill and had to stop playing the instrument. They complained of muscle spasms (痉挛), nervousness, cramps, and dizziness. A few listeners were also affected. The instrument was actually banned in a few towns. “The armonica too inspires the nerves, drives the player into a troublesome depression and later into a dark and sad mood that is a method for slow self-destroying.”

However, no explanation or proof was ever really given to any of these claims. Franklin himself ignored all of the argument and continued to play the instrument until the end of his life.

1. How are the glass bowls arranged to form this instrument?

A．By their thickness.

B．By their shapes.

C．By their weight.

D．By their sizes.

2. What inspired Franklin’s invention of the instrument?

A．A failed performance.	B．An unsuccessful concert.
C．An unusual performer.	D．A couple glasses of wine.

3. What does the underlined word “prevalent” mean in paragraph 5?

A．Fearful.

B．Popular.

C．Strange.

D．Tiresome.

4. What is paragraph 6 mainly about?

A．Bad remarks about the instrument.	B．Terrible sounds made by the instrument.
C．Bans on this instrument everywhere.	D．This instrument’s great appeal to people.

3 . “On the very first day of 2024, I saw the snow of Kilimanjaro, not from the novel written by Ernest Hemingway, but from the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro!” Xu Zhuoyuan, a 17-year-old mountaineer who’d stood on top of Mount Qomolangma last May, climbed onto the tallest peak in Africa, making herself the youngest Chinese girl that conquered it.

Xu’s passion for mountaineering was motivated by her father, who himself reached many peaks, including Mount Qomolangma. And her mountaineering journey began on a family trip to Xizang and Sichuan four years ago. For many years, Xu devoted herself to rigorous training. She went to the mountains in Yunnan and Sichuan every month, climbing peaks over 5,000 meters and doing daily physical exercises like running, swimming and rope skipping. All that hard work got her ready for the challenges she would face on Kilimanjaro.

Above 4000 meters on Mount Kilimanjaro, the climate is similar to a desert, with big temperature differences. The whole climb took 7 days, during which Xu faced unpredictable weather such as rain and strong winds. Staying warm and avoiding heat loss was the main challenge. Xu had to be very sensitive to any temperature changes and adjust her clothing accordingly. This climb was also a learning experience for Xu. She was climbing with Xia Boyu (aged 74), the first Chinese climber to summit Mount Qomolangma with an artificial leg, who’d inspired Xu a lot.

Mountaineering, Xu discovered, is not just about being strong physically; it is also a journey of self-discovery. “In climbing and life, it’s important to know when to let go of things that are weighing us down and how to re start when we feel ready,” she reflected.

1. What inspired Xu Zhuoyuan’s interest in climbing mountains?

A．A novel written by Ernest Hemingway.

B．A former trip to Mount Qomolangma.

C．Her father’s success in mountaineering.

D．Her family trip to Xizang and Sichuan.

2. What does the underlined word “rigorous” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Flexible.

B．Strict.

C．Casual.

D．Dangerous.

3. Which is NOT true about Xu’s Kilimanjaro climbing?

A．She was accompanied by a disabled climber.

B．There was a desert 4000 meters on Mount Kilimanjaro.

C．Weather condition was unstable above Mount Kilimanjaro.

D．Clothes adjustment was needed due to temperature changes.

4. Which of the following is the best title for this passage?

A．Climbing Mount Kilimanjaro—A Chinese Girl’s Bravery.

B．Conquering New Heights —A Story of Passion.

C．Mountaineering—A Journey of Self-discovery.

D．Mount Kilimanjaro —A Destination of Inspiration.

4 . I had been invited to go to my friend’s birthday party. I was excited because I liked to go to parties. Although Tori was not my best friend, I _______ to be there.

Two days later, my best friend asked me to go to Disneyland. I really wanted to go. That’s when my mom _______ me that Tori’s party was on the same day. She said I couldn’t change my mind just because something better came along.

My_______ about going to the birthday party was _______. Tori’s party would be okay but not as _______ as a whole day at Disneyland. _______, Tori wasn’t even my best friend. I begged my mom but she _______. She asked me to think about how I would feel if someone did that to me. I had to _______ that it would _______ my feelings. My mom was _______.

So my mom dropped me off at Tori’s party. Something _______ happened after I got there. We did stuff that was fun and different. We watched a movie that hadn’t come out in theaters yet and that was pretty _______. There was also a make-your-own pizza contest. We gave presents to Tori and her parents had a special present to give to each of us _______! That was so cool.

When my mom came to _______ me up, she was glad that I’d had a good time. Not only did I _______ the party, but I learned an important lesson. My mom was right…as usual.

1.

A．happened

B．pretended

C．afforded

D．promised

2.

A．comforted

B．reminded

C．convinced

D．taught

3.

A．doubt

B．curiosity

C．excitement

D．confusion

4.

A．gone

B．obvious

C．normal

D．endless

5.

A．free

B．busy

C．fun

D．long

6.

A．Otherwise

B．Besides

C．However

D．Therefore

7.

A．suffered

B．complained

C．hesitated

D．disagreed

8.

A．predict

B．admit

C．expect

D．ignore

9.

A．hurt

B．control

C．reflect

D．inspire

10.

A．different

B．voluntary

C．sad

D．right

11.

A．conventional

B．practical

C．difficult

D．interesting

12.

A．informal

B．amazing

C．strange

D．private

13.

A．in return

B．at once

C．at ease

D．in theory

14.

A．hurry

B．bring

C．pick

D．cheer

15.

A．change

B．throw

C．love

D．miss

5 . Great Apps for Kids

Silly Street Learn & Play
age 4
Free

It is an educational app based on a physical game that aims to build character through play. Kids can play solo or with up to 6 players. They can read the directions or turn on the sound to have them narrated. The free game includes six card packs that target curiosity, adaptability, and other character skills through entertaining tasks. The prompts(提示)on the cards encourage kids to express themselves.

Cramble
age 7+
$0.99

It is a lightly educational game that uses comparisons to create questions that players answer for points. The app puts together the size, weight, and more of buildings, animals, and other objects to create clues. Along with the Quiz game mode, there’s also a Compare mode in which players read mix-and-match comparisons.

Spaceteam
age 9+
Free

It is a free cooperative game for two to eight players that requires a separate device for each player. It works best when everyone is on the same Wi-Fi connection and in the same room. Kids will need to be confident readers as there are a number of made-up words that need to quickly be read aloud or recognized on screen. It also tends to get loud, so it’s best played where it won’t bother others.

Geocaching
age 14+
$9.99

This expensive but very cool GPS app makes it possible for the whole family to go geocaching, a high-tech treasure hunt game. Geocaches can be hidden in rough terrain and public locations. Since you are going to locations that are known by and will attract others, this app creates some dangers of exposure to strangers. While this game might be okay for older teens by themselves, a better route would be to always play this game with friends.

1. What is the purpose of Silly Street Learn & Play?

A．To teach children how to tell stories.

B．To help children read through special cards.

C．To help children build character through games.

D．To teach children how to talk about their feelings.

2. What is one of the characteristics of Spaceteam?

A．It can be noisy.

B．It can be used offline.

C．It is sold at a low price.

D．It is suitable for any age groups.

3. Which app should you choose if you’re looking for an outdoor adventure?

A．Cramble.	B．Spaceteam.
C．Geocaching.	D．Silly Street Learn & Play.

6 . This year a group called Teach For America (TFA) saw an increase in applications by 36 percent. The organization recruits (招聘) college graduates to help fill a teacher shortage in less developed areas of America. The organization’s leaders say some college graduates prefer to take the positions in public service during the economic (经济的) downturn but many feel a renewed spirit of public service.

“Teaching is much harder than I expected. Changing the world is never easy,” says Loren Heinbach. She has made up her mind to become a teacher to address the imbalance in education that exists between rich and poor communities.

Heinbach is one of over 6,000 TFA members, recent college graduates who volunteer to teach children in poor inner cities and rural public schools. She gives up possible work in medicine or law which will pay much more later on. Instead, she takes a teaching job at the KIPP Academy.

The school is in a neighborhood of Washington, DC. The students there traditionally perform (表现) in the lowest 25% of national standards. Vice Principal Kristy Ochs says the school is working hard to improve the quality of education, but it is difficult to find teachers willing to do the hard work.

Ochs also gets her start in TFA. Two-thirds of members stay in education after their two-year service ends. She says these new teachers make every effort to teach school.

Heinbach’s students say she has high standards and expectations. One student says, “You have to really pay attention. The questions may seem easy, but if you make the wrong decision on a question, it’s like you really messed up.” “She also likes us to take notes. And I do thank her because she is getting us ready for college,” another student adds.

1. What’s the purpose of TFA recruiting college students?

A．To send more teachers to poor areas.	B．To create well-paid jobs.
C．To grow its business.	D．To earn high praise from the government.

2. Why does Loren Heinbach choose to take a teaching job?

A．She will get an increase in pay soon.	B．She failed to get into the public service.
C．She tries to live up to her parents’ expectation.	D．She wants to change the imbalanced education.

3. What can we know about the KIPP Academy?

A．Its teachers are experienced.	B．Its teachers dislike schooling.
C．Its students perform badly in study.	D．Its students are from rich families.

4. Which word best describes Loren Heinbach as a teacher?

A．Strict.

B．Regretful.

C．Lucky.

D．Stressed.