| Dear headmaster, As president of Sullivan Junior High School’s student council, I have been chosen to write to you on behalf of the eighth grade class. We would like to propose an eighth grade promotion trip to Sea World in San Diego, California. We chose Sea World for several reasons. In science class, we have been studying oceans and the marine life. Going to Sea World would provide us with the opportunity to visit these creatures and to better understand their habitats. This could be a once in a lifetime experience for those of us who have never been outside Arizona. We will have lots of fun and learn at the same time. The close location of San Diego was also a factor in planning this trip. San Diego can be reached by bus in about six hours. If the buses leave Sullivan after school on Friday afternoon, we should arrive in California in time to have a late dinner and get settled into our hotel rooms before midnight. |
You may be asking yourself. “How will this trip be financed?” We are suggesting that the school host an “Oceans of Fun” night for family, friends, and community members for a small fee. The activities would be organized and supervised by eighth grade students. Some of our ideas for the night include a Surfer’s Snack Shop with homemade treats for sale, Pirate Pete’s Treasure hunt, and a short production of “A Whale of a Tale.” This would the best chance to show our ocean animal reports. Many of the eighth grade students have gone to school together since kindergarten. We believe that this trip would be a fantastic way to celebrate friendships. This trip may also be one of the last times we see our friends because students from Sullivan Junior High School attend four different high schools. We invite you to our next student council meeting on December 7, 2013, to discuss your thoughts and work out any concerns you still may have. Thank you for taking the time to consider our request for an eighth-grade promotion trip. Sincerely, Julie Martino |
1. Who has written this letter? What is she?
2. What idea has the author mainly expressed in Paragraph 4?
3. Why has the author written this letter?
4. Why does the author mention that many students have gone to school together since kindergarten in Paragraph 5?
The morning of my daughter’s first school play I had an important business meeting. I went to the play, getting a seat in the front row. I even brought my mum along in case it overran. But, not wanting to be late for my appointment, I moved quietly to the back. My daughter, who was just three at the time, noticed my empty seat and started to cry. Outside the doorway, I heard one mum say loudly and angrily, “She’s gone to work.” I watched as some of the others rolled their eyes. My stomach went cold.
It’s OK for a mum to have a job — as long as it’s part-time, fits around the school run or means she doesn’t have to leave the school play early or fly to the other side of the world now and again to earn a living. During the decade I’ve been a working mum I’ve received numerous critical comments from women about my work choices, but I think running my own business and travelling with my work when I can (while still taking my daughter to school most days and making pretty much every show or event) is setting a good example to my daughter. It shows her that it is possible to succeed at a time when women in many professions find it harder than men to reach the top and get less pay.
But I often feel I’ m in the minority. Do the women who roll their eyes at other women who leave the school play early or show up late to parents’ evening because their meetings overrun really believe females should only be in part-time, flexible work that fits around their children? I think it’s time for women to support each other’s career decisions.
1. What does the text mainly talk about?(no more than 10 words)2. What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably mean?(no more than 25 words)
3. What may the author’s daughter learn from her working mother?(no more than 30 words)
4. What kink of job should a mother have according to other mothers who rolled their eyes? (no more than 5 words)
5. Do you agree with the author? Give your reasons.(no more than 25 words)
One pleasant New Year morning, Edward got up and dressed himself in a hurry. He wanted to be the first to wish a happy New Year.
He looked in every room, and shouted “Happy New Year” to every one of his family. Then he ran into the street to repeat it to those he met. When he came back, his father gave him two new dollars. His face lighted up as he took them. He had wished for a long time to buy some nice books.
As he ran down the street with a light heart to the bookshop, he saw a poor German family—the father, mother and three children walking in the cold wind.
“I wish you a happy New Year,” said Edward, as he was happily passing on. The man shook his head. “You do not belong to this country?” asked Edward. The man shook his head again, because he could not understand or speak English. But he pointed to his mouth, and to the children, he seemed to say, “These little ones have had nothing to eat for a long time.”
Edward quickly understood that these people were poor and in trouble. He took out his dollars and gave one to the man, and the other to his wife. They said something in their language, which meant. “Thank you very much, and we will remember you forever.”
1. When did the story happen? (不超过10个词)2. What did Edward wish to buy? (不超过5个词)
3. Who did he see on the way to the bookshop? (不超过5个词）
4 . On May 24, 2021, two days after Yuan Longping, known as the “father of hybrid rice”, passed away at the age of 91, the farewell ceremony for him was held in Changsha. People from all walks of life mourned (哀悼) his passing away.
Born in Beijing on Sept. 7, 1930, Yuan Longping was the son of a railroad official and an English teacher. His family moved frequently, uprooted (使离开家园) by the war between China and Japan. When he was young, he saw with his own eyes that people didn’t get enough to eat. “I saw heartbreaking scenes of people starving to death on the road before 1949,” recalled Yuan.
Yuan Longping studied agronomy (农艺学) at what was then the Southwest Agricultural College in Chongqing. After graduating in 1953, he taught at an agricultural college in Changsha, where his focus shifted from sweet potatoes to rice. High-yield hybrid corn was already in production, and Yuan Longping sought to do something similar to rice, a crop that posed a far greater challenge for plant breeders.
In the early 1970s, Yuan Longping and his team developed hybrid strains that typically yielded 20 percent more rice than conventional varieties, transforming Chinese agriculture after years of famine(饥荒). Some 10,000 years after Chinese farmers began cultivating rice near the Yangtze River, the country now produces more than 200 million tons of rice a year, more than any other nation.
Rather than limiting his rice technology and growing techniques to China, Yuan Longping shared them with the world. He cooperated with the United Nations and the International Rice Research Institute in the Philippines, in addition to teaching farmers in India, Vietnam and elsewhere how to grow hybrid rice. In 2004, he was awarded the World Food Prize with rice researcher Monty P. Jones, and credited with helping “create a more abundant food supply and more stable world”. And in 2019 he was awarded the “Medal of the Republic”, China’s highest official honor, by President Xi Jinping.
1. What words do you think can best describe Yuan Longping?2. What can you learn from Yuan Longping?
5 . Normally, I loved birthdays. When my son and three daughters were little, my husband, Charles, and I always made sure to have dinner, followed by a big cake and presents.
Later, when the kids grew up and lived in different states, they always called to wish me a happy birthday. But this year I could have skipped the whole day, knowing there was one call I wouldn’t be receiving, the one from my daughter Patty. She’d passed away unexpectedly just a month before. One thing which made me feel a little calm was a voice message that she’d left on my cell phone the night before she died, telling me she loved me.
Over the following days I played her message of wishes over and over again, listening to the last words she said. “I love you very, very much, Mom.” Then, a couple of weeks before my birthday, while I was doing laundry (洗衣服), I accidentally dropped my phone in the washing machine. Quickly I pulled it out and dried it off, but when I checked my voicemail, Patty’s message was gone. I cried, heartbroken. Day after day I kept checking my voicemail, hoping Patty’s message would reappear. It never did.
On the morning of my birthday, I received my son’s wishes. However, all I wanted for my birthday was to hear Patty’s voice again. “Happy birthday.” Charles said, “let’s go out for dinner and a movie. It might help take your mind off things.” Charles was right. I turned off my phone, settled into my seat in the movie theater and let the film take me away. But the minute it ended I started thinking about Patty again. As we were walking out of the theater, I turned on my phone. It rang, signaling I’d gotten a voice message. Probably just my youngest daughter, Leslie, calling to wish me a happy birthday, I thought.
I dialed up voicemail and the message began. It was Patty’s voice, clear as a bell, saying again, “I love you very, very much, Mom.”
1. How did the family celebrate the author’s birthday when the children were young? (no more than 10 words)2. Why didn’t the author want to celebrate her birthday this year? (no more than 10 words)
3. How do you understand the underlined sentence in the fourth paragraph? (no more than 8 words)
4. What happened when the author was doing some washing one day? (no more than 15 words)
5. What do you think of the story? Give your reasons in your own words. (no more than 20 words)
Middle school is a fun time for young teens. You meet new people and go to parties. But many teenagers notice their grades descending in middle school. Classes get harder and it is tougher to keep up. Besides, going to parties takes up a lot of time. The following are some tips on how to improve your grades in middle school.
★Talk to your parents and see how they can help. Ask them for little things, like keeping the TV off for an hour while you study and do homework, or keeping you on task by checking once in a while to make sure you aren’t playing computer games. Parents have gone through school and they can help.
★Seek teachers’ advice as well. They have taught hundreds of students and know many different approaches to learning. See if they can meet with you twice a week after school to help you find out the best way for you to learn.
★Ask for extra homework. If your grade is becoming lower and you need a quick improvement, see if the teacher can give you any extra homework for you to do at home.
★Practice makes perfect. Do your homework every night. If you don’t have homework, review what you have learned for at least 10 minutes. If you are struggling in a class and the teacher doesn’t give homework often, consider asking some questions from the book once in a while to review. Sure, other students will think you are crazy, but if it helps, it doesn’t matter. If the problem lies beyond something you can control, such as a learning disability or problems at home, ask help from a teacher or parent.
★Have your own study area where you can study without being distracted. This study area should also improve your motivation of learning, so decorate it with things that will help you stay organized and not with things that will distract you.
1. What does the underlined word “descending” mean? (one word)2. According to Paragraph 3, why do you need to ask your teachers for advice? (no more than 15 words)
3. For what purpose do you ask for extra homework? (no more than 10 words)
4. How should you decorate your study area? (no more than 12 words)
5. Please give your opinion on how to improve grades in middle school. (no more than 20 words).
Never give up on hope
Oct 31, 2013 wasn’t just another Halloween for me. While I was driving home, a vehicle struck my car from behind, sending me into the busy road. I fought hard to open my eyes for a second, but I lost my consciousness.
After I was taken to hospital, the doctor told me I wouldn’t be able to move anything from my neck down. I had lost the use of almost every muscle and was very weak. I then realized that I had to say goodbye to my dream of entering NBA.
But at the rehab center (康复中心), I saw a glimpse of hope and was inspired by other patients with injuries like mine. The first year was slow and I didn’t see much progress. My head felt like a heavy ball, and I couldn’t hold it up, and my blood pressure would drop all the time. And while I didn’t have a ghost of a chance to walk or even stand, I did try. Six month later, I finally returned home.
However, that’s when the reality of the situation became clear to me. I realized that my life was so different. I was unable to use a phone, and unable to feed or wash myself. I couldn’t hold on to anything; a fork or spoon was too heavy to pick up. I had to learn to be patient with myself, and to enjoy every moment going forward.
I was determined to walk again, so giving up was no longer a choice. I fought hard on my recovery and still do to this day. I’m now moving my legs and arms on my own, doing things like working out, swimming and yoga. All of this is proving my doctors wrong, and is turning the page from the impossible to the possible. My supportive family, friends and team encourage me to continue to work harder.
I believe that this difficulty is an opportunity to grow, become stronger and keep on fighting to hopefully inspire myself not to give up.
1. Why was the author sent to hospital?(no more than 10 words)2. What was the author’s dream before the accident? (no more than 5 words)
3. What does the underlined part in Paragraph 3 mean? (no more than 10 words)
4. Who helped the author continue to work harder on his recovery? (no more than 10 words)
5. How does the author’s story inspire you? (no more than 20 words)
Many people dream of winning the lottery (彩票). Oh, just think about the things they could do with a million dollars! Perhaps they’d buy a new house, deal in stocks or travel around the world! But there’s a difference between dreaming about such good luck and actually becoming a lottery winner. Such a moment must have been quite unbelievable for single mother Jane Surtees, who has certainly dreamed about what she would do with such big money over the years.
Shortly after hitting a £7.5 million top prize, Jane set out a plan to help orphans (孤儿) in Ethiopia. She traveled to Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, and headed straight to the Kidane Mehmet Children’s Home, which cares for 120 orphans. Because the Mehmet Children’s Home runs completely on charity, it is crowded and can only feed the kids three small meals per day. Meat is a once-a-week treat and toys and books are almost unheard-of. Jane was surprised by how satisfied the kids seemed to be living in such conditions.
Jane was especially moved by the story of 15-year-old Workeneh Fanetay. After losing his parents when he was just four, Fanctay was responsible for bringing up his two-year-old brother alone. He was one of many homeless children in the city and bought food with money he earned by working in shops and helping neighbors tidy their gardens. Thankfully, his life was altered radically due to Jane’s kindness. He joined the Children’s Home and now lives in a nice house with his brother. They plant vegetables on a piece of ground near their house and both attend school-something that will change both of their lives.
Jane is truly grateful for her good luck to win the lottery and get to know such amazing children. And the children she helped consider her as one example of the view that kindness does exist in this world.
1. What was Jane’s plan after winning the lottery? (no more than 10 words)2. How did the kids in the Kidane Mehmet Children’s Home feel about their living conditions? (no more than 5 words)
3. Why did Fanetay work in shops and help neighbors tidy their gardens? (no more than 15 words)
4. What’s the meaning of the underlined sentence in Paragraph 3? (no more than 10 words)
5. What will you do if you win a million dollars in the lottery? Please explain. (no more than 25 words)
Robert Armstrong’s favorite food has been his grandma’s cookies ever since he was a child.
Years later and armed with a business degree, Armstrong, 28, is turning his grandma’s cookie recipe into a national brand, G. Mommas Southern Style Cookies, featuring chocolate chip pecan(美洲山核桃) and “buddascotch” oatmeal(燕麦片) flavors.
In February, California-based specialty retailer(零售店), Cost Plus World-Market, with 265 stores in 31 states selling home decor(装饰), food and drink, started selling the cookies. They will also be in 800 Cracker Barrel stores this fall.
After graduating from college in 2008 and unable to find a job, Robert Armstrong asked his grandmother, Anice Morris Armstrong, to teach him how to bake, which he thought would take an afternoon.
“It was harder than college,” he said.
With basic cooking tools and an oven in an abandoned kitchen, he set up his own business, Selma Good, and began producing cookies in an old warehouse. Baking 10 to 12 hours a day, he managed to deliver cookies to 35 stores. His grandmother helped him develop the “buddascotch” recipe before her death, aged 88, last July. “She inspirited me in ways no one else ever could,” said Armstrong.
He reached out via LinkedIn, a website, to a national distributor, who asked for samples. Within a year, he found a commercial bakery in Pennsylvania and a deal to go national with World Market. “Everybody has a grandma recipe, but I was lucky to find people that would take a chance on me,” Armstrong said. “They’re crunchy, but light, like feathers, and taste extremely good,” said Judy McKinny at Mark’s Market, one of Armstrong’s first retail customers in his hometown of Selma, Alabama.
World Market is ordering two cases per store each quarter, a huge leap from the 9,000 bags he made himself per quarter.
His goal is to one day move production back to his native Selma to help its development. Selma has struggled economically since the closure of a candy factory several years ago.
1. What did Robert major in when he was in college? (1 word)2. Why did Robert choose to bake after his graduation? (no more than 10 words)
3. What does the underlined word mean in Paragraph 6? (1 word)
4. What does Robert owe his success to according to Paragraph 7? (no more than 10 words)
5. What did your grandma teach you? Please explain. (no more than 30 words)
The Yosufs’ house is unlike any other house. In the sitting room, instead of a television, there is a blackboard on the wall. For two hours every day, Mr Yosuf writes complex mathematical problems on the board. His daughter, Zuleika, copies them into an exercise book and solves them.
Zuleika is special. She’s five years old, but instead of watching cartoons or playing computer games, her favourite pastimes are solving equations and reading books. She already spends hours every day in a university library. Next year Zuleika will become Britain’s youngest “A” level student.
Not surprisingly, the Yosufs are a very clever family. Zuleika’s two sisters and a brother, aged 16, 14 and 12 are also good at maths and are already at university. Her father, who specialises in maths research, has taught them all. “Zuleika is very competitive, says her father.” She sees her brother and sisters working every day and she can’t wait to catch up with them. I remember teaching the others maths when they were eight. Zuleika solves the same problems now, although she took up maths much earlier. We could see she was interested in numbers at a much younger age. ”
So what is the secret of their success? When their first child arrived, Mr Yosuf and his wife made up their minds to teach all of their children at home. They say that home tuition combined with love and understanding has helped their children to succeed. “We’ve been patient and supportive, and they take pride in what they do,” says Mr. Yosuf. “Maybe Zuleika has a natural talent for maths, but I believe given the right surroundings, any child could do well. ”
One thing all child prodigies(神童) do have in common is a complete dedication to and love of their subject. They spend many more hours working at it than the average child, and this extra effort is reflected in their achievements. It is not necessary to be extremely talented to be a child prodigy, but you do have to have a lot of motivation.
1. What is the blackboard in the sitting room used for? (no more than 20 words)2. Why is Zuleika special? (no more than 15 Words)
3. What does the underlined word “surroundings” in paragraph 4 probably mean? (1 word)
4. What do all child prodigies have in common according to the text? (no more than 15 words)
5. What do you think of studying at home?Give your reasons. (no more than 20 words)
