Several years ago, I started riding a bike. At first, I thought it was only a short ride. But as I built up my strength, my friends inspired me to try some longer trips. The first one to come along was a 150-mile journey, an event held every year that raises money to fight cancer.
With my name
The ride began on a Sunday morning in the Georgia countryside: There were a number of strong riders. For the first few hours, I felt wonderful. This was just the experience I had imagined, and my spirits were high. There were not many vehicles on the way. But by the end of the day, I had felt
As I was riding to the top of the hill, the very
Then I took my attitude
2 . Twelve-year-old Catherine has a lot of friends—632, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Catherine’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not words with friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platform.
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger. “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual world, we will have little time for our real-world friendships,” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need anyone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To tell about true friends. | B．To start a discussion. |
| C．To encourage online friendships. | D．To summarize(总结) the text. |
| A．In any case. | B．In public. | C．In person. | D．In advance. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Positive. | C．Worried. | D．Confused. |
| A．Teenagers need to focus on real-world friendships. | B．It’s easier to develop friendships in real life. |
| C．It’s wise to turn to friends online. | D．Social media help people stay closely connected. |
3 . Must-read New Fiction Books
We all have a few tried-and-true fiction favorites, but there’s something special about a brand-new, hot-off-the-press novel. Whether it’s your favorite author’s new release or a new writer’s first work, great fiction books make the perfect escape from ordinary life. That’s why we’ve rounded up a list of the best new books released in February.
Age of Gold by Jerry Lapoor
Jerry Lapoor’s latest action-packed novel unfolds like a crazy movie. This thriller begins when a wealthy man’s car gets out of control. But when the dust settles, the rich man is nowhere to be found. How and to where does he disappear? With an exciting plot that will carry you from old-money houses to small agricultural villages, Age of Cold will take you on an unforgettable ride across a vast land.
City Under One Sky by Rachel Young
In the book, Young presents a crime story set in a small town. Detective Sara Kennedy has been sent to investigate a case. But soon after arrival, Sara gets snowed in with the 205 townsfolk living in the same apartment building. Who is hiding the key to the crime? And is there anyone she can truly trust? The appealing story, strange but distinctive characters and unexpected plot are just a few of the reasons why City Under One Sky gains its popularity.
Lady by Jess George
Lady is an irresistible fiction from Jess George. The story of Mary’s fresh start at adulthood is shot through with themes of family, race and discrimination, womanhood and the immigrant reality of feeling torn between cultures. Though struggling with life in London as an African, Mary jumps at every chance to stand on her own feet.
1. What will impress the readers in Age of Gold?| A．The thrilling plot. | B．Traditional cultures. |
| C．The family conflict. | D．Crazy characters. |
| A．She is trapped in the snow. | B．She is to investigate a case abroad. |
| C．She hides the key evidence. | D．She has trouble discovering the truth. |
| A．Self-reliance. | B．Gender equality. |
| C．Domestic violence. | D．Cross-cultural communication. |
| A．Thanks to | B．Thanks | C．Thank to | D．Thank |
5 . Starting a new book can feel like a bit of a commitment (承诺), but it doesn’t have to be! Here are four books you can read in a single day.
The House on Mango Street
Released in 1984 and written by Mexican-American author Sandra Cisneros, The House on Mango Street is only 103 pages long. It’s a rapid read for those looking to dip their toes into the water, but it still deals with complex themes and important subject matters, including language, race, ageing, and troubles.
The Midnight Library
The Midnight Library from the English author Matt Haig was released in 2020. It has 288 pages, which makes it a little more challenging but still absolutely doable (可做的) in a single day. The novel is all about storytelling, with Nora Seed exploring the “what ifs” of her life.
The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo
Released in 2012 and written by the fantastic Malaysian-English author Zen Cho, the page count is an extremely manageable 76 pages, which makes this another effective first read in one day. The novel is set in London in the 1920s and follows the life of another writer, Jade Yeo. There is even enough time for readers to appreciate a film adaptation of the book after reading it.
Stardust
The 1999 novel by English author Neil Gaiman is a perfect presentation of the writer’s fantasy styles at their best. Stardust, which became a major motion picture, sits at 256 pages, It’s epic (史诗般的) in its scale, but the reader can fit the novel into a single day, giving them a true sense of absolute escapism to the fantasyland of Stormhold.
1. Which book can make you feel like escaping from reality and being in a kind of dreamland?| A．The Perilous Life of Jade Yeo. | B．The Midnight: Library. |
| C．The House on Mango Street. | D．Stardust. |
| A．It’s supposed to be made into a film soon. |
| B．The book tells the life of its author, Zen Cho. |
| C．Its background is in London about a century ago. |
| D．It is a bit more challenging to finish reading it in two days. |
| A．It is a perfect presentation of the writer’s own experiences. |
| B．It involves complex themes and important subject matters. |
| C．It was written by a well-known Malaysian-English author. |
| D．It is all about storytelling, with Nora Seed exploring the“what ifs”of her life； |
Wearing Hanfu and sitting in front of a Chinese zither (筝), Peng Jingxuan, a young Chinese student, moves her fingers gently along the strings on a street in Paris, France.
Peng has shared more than 200
Chinese zither (筝), or guzheng, is an ancient musical instrument with 21-26 strings and a length of 1.63 meters. Peng
Considering her audience’s
1. 介绍画展；2.活动评价
注意：
(1)写作词数为80词左右；
(2)可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯；
A Chinese Painting Exhibition
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________8 . Alexis was a student, the only son of his wealthy parents, and felt entitled to the luxuries he had in his life. On a class field trip, Alexis met the forester, Justin, who had been living in a wooden house in the forest over ten years. When learning Justin’s life, Alexis laughed at him with his friends.
During the field trip, Alexis and his classmates passed by an entrance to a cave. “This looks so cool!” Alexis exclaimed. He wanted to go inside the cave, but his teacher stopped him.
The next day, Alexis reached the cave with his four friends, only to find they couldn’t take their schoolbags through the entrance. One by one, the teenagers entered the cave and were amazed to see how wide it was from the inside. Albert picked a large stone up and hit one of the walls with it. “This place is so cool!” he laughed quietly before the rocks from the wall came falling.
“Watch out, Albert!” Alexis said and pulled Albert towards himself. The teenagers screamed in fear when they saw the rocks fall. They couldn’t see anything because of the dust floating in the air.
The friends were scared when they realized they were trapped in the cave. “HELP! WE ARE STUCK!” the teenagers started screaming for help, hoping someone would hear them.
Fate sent Justin to the cave. The forester picked berries every day from the trees near the cave. While he was walking back to his house, five bright-colored schoolbags caught his attention. Then he approached the cave and shouted, “Hey! Who’s in there?”
“I’m Alexis ! I came here yesterday with my teacher! Help us, please! We are stuck!”
“Okay, calm down, children! I’ll help you out!” Justin said.
Justin quickly called 911 and informed them about the kids in the cave. Thinking the paramedics (护理人员) would take at least twenty minutes to arrive, he decided to help the kids himself before it was too late. Justin quickly grabbed a shovel and a flashlight and rushed back to the cave’s entrance. Meanwhile, Alexis and his friends tried to stay calm. A few minutes later, Alexis and his friends could see the flashlight shine through the cave’s entrance. Seconds later, they rushed outside the cave and took a deep breath in the fresh air.
Just then, the paramedics arrived.
1. What may lead to Alexis looking down on Justin?| A．His lower education. | B．His poor family. |
| C．His bad reputation. | D．His living condition. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Curious. | C．astonished. | D．Scared. |
| A．It was his daily routine. | B．He saw five colorful schoolbags. |
| C．He came to look for the children. | D．He heard the screaming for help. |
| A．Lucky or unlucky. | B．Don’t judge a person by his looks. |
| C．Curiosity kills the cat. | D．Once in a blue moon. |
9 . In the dining room of my grandfather’s house stood a large clock. When I was a child, the old clock interested me very much. I was surprised at how the clock would chime (敲响) three times, six times or more, with a wonderful
It was even more wonderful to me when my grandfather carefully wound that clock with a special key each day. The key was magic to me. It kept the clock running. It kept the clock chiming. How did it do that? I watched as my grandfather took the key from his pocket and opened the door in the old clock and used the key to wind it. He never let that clock wind down and stop. When I got a little older, he
After my grandfather passed away, every time I saw the clock, I couldn’t help
| A．weak | B．noisy | C．clear | D．sharp |
| A．paid attention to | B．crashed into | C．fought for | D．kept up with |
| A．pictures | B．bowls | C．foods | D．spoons |
| A．business | B．tree | C．doctor | D．friend |
| A．dusty | B．scary | C．messy | D．familiar |
| A．personality | B．memory | C．belief | D．evidence |
| A．taught | B．ordered | C．warned | D．forbade |
| A．shy | B．excited | C．confused | D．upset |
| A．crying | B．reading | C．joking | D．wandering |
| A．it | B．them | C．her | D．him |
| A．passive | B．frozen | C．calm | D．alive |
| A．watching | B．shaking | C．avoiding | D．blaming |
| A．arguing with | B．working through | C．falling behind | D．smiling at |
| A．desperately | B．slowly | C．unwillingly | D．nervously |
| A．library | B．classroom | C．house | D．office |
My son David was injured in his forehead so I had to take him to a hospital. I looked around the crowded waiting room in the hospital and sighed. I thought, “Will the doctor be able to see my eight-year-old son soon?” I tried steadying the ice pack (冰袋) over his forehead, but it was no use. I couldn’t stop shaking. The injury in his forehead was deep, but at least blood wasn’t pouring from it anymore.
His face was full of tears, but he seemed really brave for his age. I handed him the ice pack, and he covered his forehead with it. He was doing a much better job than I had. We were at the hospital because another child had thrown a rock at David during a break between classes as he was running around the corner. His teacher called me, and when I arrived, I found him sitting in front of her. His teacher was caring for his injury, trying to keep him calm. She felt terrible about what had happened, but I knew none of it was her fault.
David received four stitches (缝线) and didn’t cry once throughout the whole treatment. For the next two days, his forehead was swollen and black and blue. I felt like I’d had a mini nervous breakdown. Every time I tried to sleep or tend to housework, horrible thoughts crept into my mind. Fear had taken over, and then the fear turned to anger. I was angry with the child who’d thrown the rock. I just couldn’t shake it. What was she thinking? She should have known about that better.
David’s headmaster and teacher called me that evening to see how David was feeling and told me Cherry, the girl, felt terrible. I wanted to stand up for my son, do the right thing and protect him.
The next day, David’s teacher stopped by to see how David was feeling and dropped off a get-well card that Cherry had made. David and I read it several times, and I couldn’t help but feel a little choked up. It was a sincere apology.
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。
This card mattered a lot to us.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________We wondered how Cherry would make a response after reading the letter.
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