1 . My Big Solo(独唱)
When I was in middle school, my family moved to Seattle. As a girl of shy nature, I had to take a fresh start to fit into the complicated life.
One sunny day, my school announced an exciting event, a talent show for the local food bank. Students were encouraged to show their unique talents. Excitement filled the school as everyone began preparing for the big day. Deep down, I felt a spark of curiosity and a desire to participate. However, my self-doubt held me back, “I don’t have any special skills to share.”
Days turned into weeks, and the talent show approached. One day Emma, one of the most popular girls in my class, came to me. “How about singing together in the talent show?” She grinned, “I heard you singing a tune, along the way home. I can’t help following you here.” Gosh, I couldn’t believe my ears. Since Emma had the world’s prettiest voice, I felt like being favoured by fortune.
My mum heard our conversation and her face lit up. “A big event.” Then she suggested, “Why not practise right now upstairs? I believe you’ll be a perfect match.”
Emma and I kept rehearsing (排练) almost every single day after school. As the days went by, I was feeling pretty good about our act. But the day before the talent show, Emma called that she had an acute stomachache and was unable to perform.
1. 根据本文内容从方框中选择恰当的词并用其正确形式填入文本图示中，每词限用一次，有两词为多余选项。| excitement shockperform curiosity doubt go adapt popularpractise difficult changefavour | |||
My Big Solo | |||
| When I was in middle school, my family moved to Seattle. |
| As a shy girl, I had to | |
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| My school announced an exciting talent show. Everyone was |
| Deep down, I felt | |
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| One day, Emma, a |
| I couldn’t believe my ears. I felt like | |
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| With my mum’s encouragement, Emma and I kept |
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| But the day before the |
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2. 根据文本内容回答下列问题 (50字左右)
What would I do next and what would happen in the end?
How many hands?
Do you know the saying “Many hands make light work”? Well, my sister Pippa and I figured that out the disastrous (灾难性的) way.
We love to skate, so when Mom said that she was taking us to the indoor ice-skating rink (冰场), we were excited. The next second saw us racing outside and scrambling (争抢) to get into the car.
“I bet I’m still faster than you,” I laughed at Pippa, reminding her of the last time at the rink when she fell far behind and was reduced to tears.
“You wish. I’ve been practicing on my inline skates every day for weeks, and I’m definitely faster than you now,” she replied confidently. Arguing was second nature to us.
“You two are too competitive for your own good, and if you’re determined to race, then you can stay away from me,” Mom said.
We should have listened. Pippa and I were both determined to prove who was faster. As soon as we arrived, we laced up our skates and hit the ice. We skated in circles to warm up, and then we danced and spun (旋转) and did anything we could to show our exceptional skills. But that soon got tiresome, and it was time to put our boasting (自夸) to the test.
“Race you to Mom,” I challenged Pippa as I sped away. Skates flashing, we raced across the ice, me leading, then Pippa, then me, then...
BANG! We smashed (撞击) straight into Mom!
We ended up at the hospital, me with a cracked elbow (肘部), Pippa with a wrist sprain (扭伤), and Mom with a torn knee ligament (韧带), She was not impressed.
When we got home, Mom said, “Your ridiculous competing got us into this mess, so you can just cooperate for once and figure out how to get us out of it.”
We were confused and asked her at the same time, “What do you mean?”
“I obviously can’t move around very well,” she said, “so you two can start by bringing in the laundry, and then we’ll tackle dinner.”
1. 根据文本内容从方框中选择恰当的词并用其正确形式填入文本图示中，每词限用一次，有两词为多余选项。race, right, stay, cooperate, remind, argue. tear. time, compete, skill, trouble, injure, |
| ·My sister and I ·I laughed at Pippa, ·We tried our best to show our |
| We ended up ·I had a cracked elbow. ·Pippa had a wrist sprain. ·Mom had a |
| ·Mom said it was our ridiculous competing that got us into the ·Mom couldn’t move around well, suggesting we start by bringing in the laundry and then tackle dinner. |
2. How did the author get along with his/her sister?
3. What did Mom ask them to do in order to get out of the mess?
4. What did the author mean by figuring out the saying “Many hands make light work” in a disastrous way?
Just as noise pollution negatively impacts human health, it also affects wildlife. It can affect animal communication, their abilities to find food and impact where they live. A recent study published in Biology Letters found that human-created noise is affecting a wide range of animals. Noise pollution is caused by cars, trucks, airplanes, ships, factories, industrial activities and sounds from cities, among others. Researchers found that wildlife in many different land and water ecosystems showed significant responses to human-created noise.
For example, bats use ultrasonic sound waves to get around and to find food. However, noise pollution affects this and causes them to spend more time and energy locating their food source. Shipping lanes in the UK can be deafening to harbor seals, and noises from ships are seriously impacting killer whales ability to find food and avoid potential dangers, according to episode 2 of CBC s Killers: J pod on the brink (边缘). And it’s no secret that many human-created conditions, like noise, are changing the behavior of birds. You may be surprised to learn that plants are also impacted, since pollinators (传粉昆虫) often relocate to quieter areas.
Not unlike the impact of light pollution on insects, noise pollution is causing change. It can change the types of species living in many different ecosystems, which in turn impacts the functions of these areas, according to The Guardian.
The good news is that if noise is reduced or simply turned off, it more or less removes the issue. The impact does not remain in the same way as other forms of pollution, like plastic or chemicals. And efforts are already underway in Canada.
BC Ferries is working to lessen the effects of underwater noise, especially along ferry routes that pass through critical habitats. WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) Canada is encouraging the federal government to increase protective measures in the Arctic. They’re also working with international colleagues to address the increase of noise in the region as a result of new shipping routes.
While these initiatives demonstrate progress, tightening rules and regulations around noise pollution is an important measure for conserving wildlife in Canada.
1. Why do bats spend more time looking for food?2. What is the influence of noise pollution on ecosystems?
3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Noise pollution affects animals in many ways, and compared with other forms of pollution, noise pollution is harder to deal with.
4. Please give some advice on how to reduce the effects of noise pollution on animals. (In about 40 words)
4 . Where to put your trust “Why did she spill the beans (泄露秘密)?” I thought regretfully. I’ll always remember that day, when I was so surprised by all the strange looks everyone was giving me. Those thoughts will always stay with me. And I couldn’t believe I would lose the friendship of the person I trusted the most.
Five years back, Sally was the new kid in class. I don’t know what it was, but something unique about her drew me to her. She was the friendliest person I knew. We started as classmates, but after a few months, we were like best friends. So, I never expected her to hurt me in such a big way.
I don’t know what made me tell Sally about my personal life. She made the matter bigger than it was, adding her own spin (倾向性描述) on it and telling everyone at school. It was like someone had stabbed (刺) me in the back. After she gave away my secrets, everyone at school started laughing at me, looking at me and giggling (咯咯地笑) whenever I passed by. After this terrible situation, I changed schools. Sally called me many times, but I didn’t answer. My heart was broken.
I tried hard to heal (治愈) from the scars she left on my heart. I started a new life. After five years, my life went back to the way it was, with new friends. But one day, I met Anna at the market. She was my classmate from 3rd grade. She told me that Sally wasn’t the one who brought my secrets to light. Mary was. Mary was our school’s big mouth who always wanted to stick her nose into other people’s business.
I was at a loss. I wished I could have asked Sally about this. I wished I could go back in time and fix my mistakes. From that, I learned a life lesson that we should trust those we love because one little mistake could really damage our lives.
1. 根据文本内容从方框中选择恰当的词并用其正确形式填入文本图示中,每词限用一次,有两词为多余选项| laugh sad secret break happy heal amuse fix regretful bring unique change | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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3. What did the author do after her secrets were given away?
4. What will the author do after knowing about the truth?
The Double Ninth Festival is a special day for older people in China. It started long ago. The festival is on lunar September 9th. On this day, people show love and respect to their grandparents.
There are many ways in which Chinese people express their respect. When an older person enters a room, everyone stands. People are introduced from the oldest to the youngest. When we present a book to an older person, two hands are used. Young people always offer their seats to older people on a crowded subway or bus.
Respecting older people is a tradition in China. That’s because the Chinese know that older people have knowledge and experience that young people can learn. Chinese people are proud of being old.
In Western countries, however, older people seldom think they are old. They are called “seniors” instead of “old people”. They’d rather do everything themselves. Even after retirement (退休) they take up hobbies, part-time jobs and new activities to keep their bodies working well.
Westerners respect their older people, too. Usually, seniors don’t have to buy tickets for trains and buses. They are given discounts (打折) in stores and restaurants.
But Western seniors don’t often live with their children—they live alone. For holidays, the family usually gather at the grandparents’ home, and a great smile and a warm hug for their parents are enough for grown children to show their respect.
1. When is the double ninth Festival?2. Where is it a tradition to respect older people?
3. What can the young learn from older people?
4. Can seniors in Western countries take the trains for free?
5. How do Western grown children show their respect?
6 . Two years ago, Laura Eshelman was struggling with a mental problem. And to top it off, she was having trouble finding work.
One day, she was leaving a downtown business where she had yet another job application rejected (拒绝). Feeling extremely disappointed, she decided to go to the Whole Foods across the street and found something for her hungry stomach.
As she crossed the street, Eshelman noticed a man, who was asking for money on the corner. His messy hair and clothing made it seem like he’d been living outside for a while. She watched as he asked a passerby for change, but she even didn’t look at him.
As Eshelman approached, the man turned his attention to her, and again he asked if he could have a little bit of money. “Leave me alone. I don’t have anything to give you. Just go away!”, Eshelman shouted, almost giving vent to (发泄) all her negative feelings. But these unkind words were just what made her feel regretful and ashamed later.
The man was obviously embarrassed as well as a little surprised. It was normal for him to be refused, but not usually in such a rude way. He just lowered his head and Eshelman continued into the grocery store. After picking up some bread and a bottle of water, she went to the checkout to pay. And it was at that moment that she found her purse, where she had put all her money and important papers, was missing.
1. 根据文本内容从方框中选择恰当的词并用其正确形式填入文本图示中，每词限用一次，有两词为多余选项。honest polite embarrass help ignore turn fail treat disappoint lose contain encounter | ||
Eshelman had a mental problem and | → | She was experiencing great |
↓ | ↓ | |
On her way to the food store, Eshelman | → | The man looked untidy and |
↓ | ↓ | |
As Eshelman approached the man, he | → | Eshelman regretted |
↓ | ↓ | |
The man lowered his head with | → | The purse was important to Eshelman because it |
3. What might have happened to Eshelman’s purse?
4. What might the man do for Eshelman and how would she respond?
Have you ever wanted to be a college student? If so, then you must know that you have to be a smart student. This means you have to achieve excellent grades in high school. The following tips may be of great help to you.
Stop spending most of your free time watching TV or surfing the Internet. Your spare time can be spent in studying and reviewing the knowledge your teacher has already spread. Record important notes that your teacher explains in class. This will help reduce your preparation time for tests, which means you could start studying early. You should also read through your notes carefully because most of the things on your notes are likely to appear on the test paper.
Ask your teacher for help if you don’t understand some of the knowledge. Don ‘t be afraid of asking questions, or you will not get a better understanding of the knowledge.
Study for your tests as soon as possible. If you finish it fast, you will have more time to relax and do your favourite things. In addition, waiting until late at night will only make things harder because you may feel tired.
Join a tutoring (家教) service near you if you are really serious about your grades. There are many tutoring services and if you can’t find any near you, there are services available to the public on line. Tutoring services can be a great way to get extra help and can be a great way to prepare yourself for the tests.
Title: How to be a smart student | |
Meaning | You have to |
• Note what your teacher • Study your notes in case the information | |
• Be • If you have questions but don’t ask for help, you will not | |
• Try to finish your study for tests before doing what you like • Don’t wait until it is too | |
• Join a tutoring service or an online class, which can be | |
Many people would like to watch sport matches. First, you need to know about audience manners.
Most sporting arenas (竞技场) have rules for spectators written on the back of the tickets. Read your ticket carefully before you arrive. Try to reach your seat half an hour before the start of the event and don’t leave when a game is in progress. When you leave, remember to take away your soft drink bottles and other rubbish.
During exciting games, try to control yourself. Don’t criticize the performance of players and coaches. Be careful with your words, since some may cause anger among other people in the audience.
Applause is a special form of body language you can use to communicate with players, but you should do it properly. When players first appear, clap your hands together to welcome them, but don’t go on for too long. After an excellent performance, applaud warmly. If someone fails, your applause will help encourage them.
Applause is not welcome, however, while players need to keep their concentration. Various sports have various rules for the audience.
Enjoying artistic gymnastics silence. But lots of cheering can really help basketball and football players. Snooker and table tennis courtside behavior includes a ban on flash photography. Mobile phones are not allowed in shooting centers.
To be a good spectator, you should take time to learn the game-specific rules and related culture of each event.
1. 根据文本内容从方框中选择恰当的词并用其正确形式填入文本图示中，每词限用一次，有两词为多余选项| enjoy polite applause cheer special silent photo artistic manner away advance specific |
Title: Good Audience
topic | rules | |
Before games | Sporting arenas | ★read your tickets carefully in ★reach and leave there in time ★take |
During games | Exciting games | ★pay attention to your behavior and be |
| ★use it properly | ||
| ★keep | ||
| Basketball and football | ★you should | |
| Snooker and table tennis | ★forbid taking | |
| Shooting centers | ★Don’t use mobile phones | |
After games | How to be a good spectator | ★to learn the |
2. Where are the rules for the spectators?
3. What should you be careful with during the exciting games? Why?
4. What should you do to be a good spectator?
Twinkling (闪烁) Christmas lights on our Christmas tree reflected off the shiny decorations, throwing flashes (闪光) of light on the wall. Outside snow fell down as the grey Sunday afternoon sky darkened. My feeling was as dark as the sky. Although it was less than two weeks before Christmas, I found it difficult to be in a festive (节日的) mood. We had moved to Canada from south, and holidays were difficult for us because we missed our family in Minnesota. I made a half-hearted effort to put up a few decorations around the house, but my heart just wasn’t in it.
“Mum, I wish we could spend Christmas with Grandpa and Grandma in Minnesota,” said my fifteen-year-old daughter, Rachel. I couldn’t help feeling homesick. How could I encourage my daughter when I was also struggling? “I know you’d like to spend Christmas in Minnesota, Rachel. So would I.” I looked up from the notes I was writing on my printed Christmas letters. “But Minnesota is 2,000 kilometers from Calgary. You remember how hard it was to drive in that snowstorm two years ago?” “I remember,” she sighed.
We had decided that driving to Minnesota for Christmas was simply too risky and buying plane tickets for four people was totally out of the question. No one was visiting for Christmas, either; I just didn’t have the energy to invite anyone. We would be spending Christmas alone. I was slightly shocked when the doorbell rang. It was dark outside, and we weren’t expecting anyone. Rachel went to open the door, and then said, “Mum, there’s a box on the doorstep — with presents. and nobody is out here!”
Who could have left it? It was indeed a mystery. The box contained many packages wrapped in bright Christmas paper. Each had a typewritten label: Open 14 December, Open 15 December ... There were a total of twelve gifts — the “Twelve Days of Christmas”.
It was 14 December, and the label for that day was tied to a turkey still wrapped in the plastic from the store. The note read: Our LOVE is given anonymously (匿名地). So enjoy fun with your family. I put the turkey in the freezer and the rest of the gifts under the tree.
No matter who sent the gifts, I wanted to say: “Thank you and merry Christmas!”
| distance risk visit enjoy nervous letters mood homesick surprising thankful presents grandparents |
PLOT FEELING
| Christmas was around the corner, but the author wasn’t in the | The author was half-hearted. | |
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| The author’s daughter wished to spend Christmas with her | The author and her family were | |
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| Driving was too | They may feel lonely. | |
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| On the dark night, they found a box on the doorstep in which there were | They became really | |
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| There was a note saying the love is given anonymously to encourage people to | The author was |
On Thanksgiving, Scott Macaulay is preparing a full turkey dinner for a whole bunch of people he’s never met. His 70 guests—elderly people, low-income people, at-risk teens, and others—have one detail in common: Without Macaulay, they’d be alone on Thanksgiving.
“What I do isn’t a big deal, really,” the 52-year-old said. “I just cook some food.”
Macaulay’s unconventional Thanksgiving tradition began in 1985, right around the time his parents decided to get divorced. The holidays got messy that year, and Macaulay, who was 24 at the time, sensed he’d be spending Thanksgiving alone. It was a terrible feeling.
“Thanksgiving isn’t about fireworks or band concerts,” he said. “It’s a celebration around a table with food. It’s not fun to do that by yourself.”
Macaulay placed an ad in his local paper with a simple message: If people thought they might be alone on Thanksgiving, they could give Macaulay a call.
A few people showed up at Macaulay’s place that first year. It was nice. So he placed another ad the following year, and the year after that.
In recent years, Macaulay has been hosting his Thanksgiving dinners at local churches with lots of space. He still buys and prepares all the food himself and spends about 40 hours putting the whole affair together. On Thanksgiving Day, he runs around nonstop from about 5 a.m. to p.m. Macaulay said he’d love to see other people hold similar dinners all over the country. “I think someone in every town should do this,” he said, “so nobody has to be alone.”
1. What does the underlined word “bunch” in the first paragraph mean? (1 word)2. What feature did those 70 people have in common? (no more than 10 words)
3. How did people know Macaulay’s invitation for Thanksgiving? (no more than 15 words)
4. What’s the last paragraph mainly about? (no more than 10 words)
5. What do you think of Scott Macaulay? (no more than 25 words)
