1 . A music festival is a community event focusing on live performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme. On the list are the music festivals for fans around the world. Find your favorite now!

Field Day

January 1, 2023, Sydney

Field Day means New Year’s Day for young people in Sydney. Seen as the city’s original multi-stage party, it’s a gathering of friends coming together for a great fun-filled first day of the year. There’s an air of hope and positive energy on a perfect summer’s day.

The Envision Festival

February 27—March 6, 2023, Uvita

The Envision Festival is an annual gathering in Costa Rica that aims to provide an opportunity for different cultures to work with one another to create a better community. The festival encourages people to practice art, music, dance performances, and education. Meanwhile, our connection with nature is expected to be strengthened.

The McDowell Mountain Music Festival

March 2—4, 2023, Phoenix

The McDowell Mountain Music Festival is Phoenix’s musical celebration of community culture. Since its foundation in 2004, it has been the only 100% non-profit music festival designed to support, entertain and educate the community. The festival attracts thousands of visitors each year from around the country, and it is an opportunity to experience true culture.

The Old Settler’s Music Festival

April 20—23, 2023, Dale

The Old Settler’s Music Festival is a nationally known music festival for American music. The festival is held in the country of Texas at the height of the wild flower season. The Old Settler’s Music Festival offers great music and activities for the whole family.

1. In which city can people enjoy a fun New Year’s Day?

A．Phoenix.

B．Uvita.

C．Sydney.

D．Dale.

2. What is special about the McDowell Mountain Music Festival?

A．It encourages people to receive education.	B．It is not aimed at making money.
C．It provides an opportunity for friend gathering.	D．It focuses on cultural exchanges.

3. Which festivals are connected with nature?

A．Field Day and the Envision Festival.

B．The Envision Festival and the McDowell Mountain Music Festival.

C．The Old Settler’s Music Festival and the McDowell Mountain Music Festival.

D．The Envision Festival and the Old Settler’s Music Festival.

2 . What is the place of art in a culture of inattention? Recent visitors to the Louvre report that tourists can now spend only a minute in front of the Mona Lisa before being asked to move on. Much of that time, for some of them, is spent taking photographs not even of the painting but of themselves with the painting in the background.

One view is that we have made tourism and gallery-going so easy that we have made it effectively impossible to appreciate what we’ve travelled to see. In this society, experience becomes goods like any other. There are queues to climb Everest as well as to see famous paintings. Thus, leisure is considered as hard labour rather than relaxation.

In the rapidly developing society, what gets lost is the quality of looking. Consider an extreme example, the late philosopher Richard Wollheim. When he visited the Louvre he could spend as much as four hours sitting before a painting. The first hour, he claimed, was necessary for incorrect impression to be removed. It was only then that the picture would begin to disclose itself. This seems unthinkable today, but it is still possible to organise. Even in the busiest museums there are many rooms and many pictures worth hours of contemplation (沉思) which the crowds largely ignore.

Marcel Proust, another lover of the Louvre, wrote: “It is only through art that we can escape from ourselves and know how another person sees a universe which is not the same as our own and whose landscapes would otherwise have remained as unknown as any there may be on the moon.” If any art remains worth seeing, it must lead us to such escapes. But a minute in front of a painting in a hurried, harried (烦扰) crowd won’t do that.

1. Why does the author mention the example in Louvre in Paragraph 1?

A．To express his concern about Louvre.	B．To report the popularity of Mona Lisa.
C．To introduce a good place to take photos.	D．To show a disappointing current situation.

2. Which of the following will Richard Wollheim agree?

A．People need to clear up their misunderstanding of paintings.

B．People have to stay at least 4 hours when appreciating paintings.

C．It is impossible for modern people to admire paintings attentively.

D．The longer one admires the paintings, the more unlikely he loves them.

3. What role does art play in our life according to Marcel Proust?

A．Art is of help for us to accept ourselves better.

B．Art makes our life more colourful and meaningful.

C．Art allows us to know the world in the view of others.

D．Art pushes us away from ourselves and explores the moon.

4. Which is the best title of the passage?

A．Into art attentively.	B．Escape from ourselves.
C．Beyond art completely.	D．Go to the museums often.

3 . The evidence for harmony(和睦) may not be obvious in some families. But it seems that four out of five young people now get on with their parents.

An important new study into teenage attitudes shows that their family life is more harmonious than it has ever been in the past. “We were surprised by just how positive today’s young people seem to be about their families,” says one member of the research team. “They’re expected to be rebellious(叛逆的) but actually they have other things in their minds; they want a car and other material goods, and they worry whether school is serving them well. There are more negotiations(协商) between parents and children, and children expect to take part in the family decision making process.”

So, it seems that this generation of parents is much more likely than parents of 30 years ago to treat their children as friends. “My parents are happy to discuss things with me and willing to listen to me,” says 17-year-old Daniel Lazall. “I always tell them when I’m going out. As long as they know what I’m doing, they’re fine with it.” Susan Crome, who is now 21, agrees. “Looking back on the last 10 years, there was a lot of what you could call negotiations. For example, as long as I’d done all my homework, I could go out on a Saturday night. But I think my grandparents were a lot stricter with my parents than that.”

One of the researchers comments, “Our astonishment that teenagers say they get along well with their parents comes because of a brief period in our social history when teenagers were regarded as different beings. But that idea of rebelling and breaking away from their parents really only happened during that one time in the 1960s when everyone rebelled. Now, the situation has changed. Now families enjoy more harmony”

1. What does the new study show?

A．Teenagers are more rebellious.

B．Teenagers worry more about studies.

C．Teenagers avoid making family decisions.

D．Teenagers tend to get along well with their parents.

2. What can we know about today’s parents?

A．They are stricter than before.	B．They are more impatient.
C．They are more open-minded.	D．They care less about their children’s life.

3. What’s the author’s attitude towards the relationship between parents and their teenagers?

A．Objective.

B．Negative.

C．Concerned.

D．Doubtful.

4. What is the passage mainly about?

A．Discussion in family.	B．Harmony in family.
C．Teenage trouble in family.	D．Teenage education in family.

4 . When talking about being overcome with emotions, both good and bad, we have a somewhat strange expression to describe that situation: to be beside yourself. So, if I say I am beside myself with joy, I am filled with joy! However, I can also be beside myself with sadness, anger, or any other emotions. The expression is useful and simple, but queer. It sounds as if someone has become two people. How can you be next to yourself? Being “beside yourself” is technically impossible.

In American English, you can simply say “I’m beside myself ” to mean you are very upset. For example, if you have a bad quarrel with a close friend, you might be beside yourself. You might shout, write an angry letter to your friend, or just go somewhere by yourself and cry. Here’s another situation. A high school student applies to several colleges. If all her applications are refused, she could be beside herself. She might stay up all night worrying about what to do next.

If a person becomes seriously ill, he could start talking in a way that does not make any sense. The patient may also start behaving strangely, walking around the room—back and forth. A doctor might say, “He is beside himself.”

We have another expression that is very similar to “being beside yourself”. We can also be “out of our minds”. We use this expression in the same way we use “beside oneself”. So we can be out of our minds with fear, with love, with happiness, or with any other emotions. And just like “beside oneself”. We also use this expression on its own without a specific emotion. So, if someone says or does something crazy—like learning how to ride a motorcycle on a dark, rainy night, you can simply say, “She is out of her mind!” You could also say the person is crazy or has lost her mind.

If you want to know more about English expressions, please log in www.learning English.com.

1. Where is this passage probably taken from ______?

A．A science report	B．A news story.
C．A language website.	D．A travel journal.

2. How will you feel when saying “I’m beside myself” in US English?

A．Excited.

B．Unhappy.

C．Relaxed.

D．Frightened.

3. How does the author explain the usage of “beside oneself”？

A．By asking questions.	B．By telling stories.
C．By giving examples.	D．By listing data.

4. What does the fourth paragraph mainly talk about?

A．The usage of the phrase “out of one’s mind”.	B．The difference between the two expressions.
C．An example about “being beside yourself ”.	D．More expressions about different feelings.

5 . You’re becoming an adult; your friends are changing; school is more challenging; and your life has more ups and downs than it used to. These books below are just for you to deal with the changes.

Say Goodbye to Stress by Dr. Jeff Brown

Kindle Edition: $11.79

Paperback: $16.95

Many have trouble getting their stress under control and want help. This book will encourage stressed-out readers to let go of anxiety and worry, and improve their lives by dealing with stress.

Find Your Inner Strength by Amy Newmark

Kindle Edition: $7.99

Paperback: $12.75

This powerful collection of stories will inspire you and help you find the inner strength to deal with the challenges in your own life. We are stronger than we think when we have to be. These brave people are the role models that show us all what is possible.

Random Acts of Kindness by Amy Newmark

Kindle Edition: $12.99

Paperback: $17.77

Make miracles happen for yourself and others. It’s easy. Just think outside the box and look around. There are so many ways that you can help--and it turns out the biggest beneficiary (受益人) may be you! Scientific studies have shown that “doing good” is good not only for others but also for the person doing it, making the person happier and healthier.

Be the Best You Can Be by Amy Newmark

Kindle Edition: $1099

Paperback: $15.67

This collection shows kids positive role models to follow in its stories about making good choices, having confidence, and doing the right things. Parents and grandparents will enjoy discussing the stories with children, making it a family event.

1. How will you feel after reading Say Goodbye to Stress?

A．Moved.

B．Upset.

C．Relaxed.

D．Confused.

2. What is unique to Find Your Inner Strength?

A．It is written by a well-known author	B．It is the cheapest of the four books.
C．It has role models for kids to follow.	D．It shows readers how to do good deeds.

3. Which book is suitable for people without confidence?

A．Say Goodbye to Stress.	B．Find Your Inner Strength.
C．Random Acts of Kindness.	D．Be the Best You Can Be.

6 . How to Be Creative

Most of us think that creativity is a quality (品质) belonging only to artists, writers, or dancers, rather than ourselves.     1     The following tips are a great beginning for developing our creativity.

Get out of your comfort zone

We eagerly accept the familiar and fear the unknown. Break out of your usual patterns and welcome creativity into your life. As said earlier, the human brain was designed to recognize patterns.     2     In fact, our comfort zone is nothing more than a collection of patterns. As we become more efficient at recognizing and using patterns, we rely less on creativity to find new paths. We should force ourselves out of our comfort zones and open up new possibilities.

Try different things

If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got. We are creatures of habits and routines, and creativity hates routines (常规). If you usually drive to work, take the subway for a few days.     3       Break your routine, experiment and try something new. New things are often creative, but the same old thing never is.

    4    

Having a great idea is not enough, you must work to make it a reality. Have you ever seen a new product and realized that you thought of the same thing long ago? Yet someone else is making money with “your” idea.     5     The difference between a dreamer and a doer is action. Do whatever it takes to bring your ideas to life. If you can put them into practice, you are well on your way to improving your creativity in all areas of your life.

A．Take action

B．Seek several options

C．Think from the other person’s point of view.

D．If you normally eat in the office, have lunch under a tree.

E．We continue to create patterns for almost everything we do.

F．The truth is that we are all born with the ability to be creative.

G．We all have great ideas sometimes, but only a few people turn their ideas into realities.

7 . Over the last century, engineers all over the world have spared no effort to achieve the unachievable in bridge design.

Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge

No bridge is as long as the Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge in the world. The 164.8-kilometre-long bridge built in 2011 in China serves as part of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway. The trip from Ningbo to Jiaxing that previously took 4.5 hours has been reduced to two, thanks to this bridge.

Rio-Niterói Bridge

Completed in 1974, the Rio-Niterói Bridge in Brazil is the second-longest bridge in all of Latin America connecting the cities of Rio and Niterói across the Guanabara Bay. The Rio-Niterói Bridge is technically known as a “box-girder (箱形梁)” bridge, made of special concrete. It receives an astonishing 140,000 (or more) vehicles per day.

Hartland Covered Bridge

The Hartland Covered Bridge is the world’s longest covered bridge. The 1,282-foot-long bridge was opened in 1901 and has been on Canada’s list of National Historic Sites since 1980. Although it was originally built without a roof, the bridge was capped with wooden materials during the repairs in 1921.

Jiaozhou Bay Bridge

The newly-built Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in China was named “world’s longest bridge over water” by Guinness Book of World Records in 2011, a title previously held by the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. The dispute was settled when the title of “longest continuous bridge over water” was given to the causeway, with the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge receiving the title of “longest bridge over water”.

1. On which of the following can trains pass?

A．Danyang-Kunshan Grand Bridge.

B．Rio-Niterói Bridge.

C．Hartland Covered Bridge.

D．Jiaozhou Bay Bridge.

2. What is special about the Hartland Covered Bridge?

A．It is a busy bridge.	B．It was built in 1980.
C．It has a roof.	D．It is a wooden bridge.

3. Where can you find the longest bridge over water?

A．In America.

B．In Brazil.

C．In Canada.

D．In China.

8 . In my early teens, I was once given a film camera as a gift. On receiving it, I jumped on my bike, headed to Wimbledon Common and took photos, just for me: photos of trees and wildlife. I was out all day. On my way home I spotted a tree lit up by street lighting and tried to capture its splendour. Rushing home, I popped the spent film in a special little envelope and sent it off to a photography store, desperate to see how it came out. I took many photos then and loved the fact that when you processed your film you got back colour photos which froze the precious moments, gently encouraging the hobby and the payments for processing.

As I grew into adulthood, that simple, deep happiness gradually faded away. One weekend when I was busy answering the work calls, my eyes caught a box in the corner of the room. I suddenly felt a sense of sadness. The stress growing over these years had pushed the camera from beside my pillow to the box in the corner. I thought I needed a change.

I took out the camera and dusted it down. It was a great joy that it still worked. I bought new film and took the camera everywhere I went. Now it is always on hand to accompany me on journeys, to allow me time to myself. Even if the day is full and busy, I can seize some moments for myself to take photos, to observe the world around me.

The wall of my room now holds all my camera equipment along with photos I’ve taken. To me, the room represents how I’ve found happiness: by reconnecting to the younger part of myself I laid aside, by allowing room in my life for pleasure to exist, and by creating an environment that allows opportunities for delight.

1. What did the author think of taking photos as a young boy?

A．Inspiring and practical.	B．Troublesome yet delightful.
C．Complicated yet engaging.	D．Thrilling and rewarding.

2. What prevented the author from taking photos according to paragraph 2?

A．He was struck by sudden sorrow.

B．He was faced with increasing pressure.

C．He intended to focus on his work

D．He attempted to behave like an adult.

3. What did the author get from picking up his hobby?

A．More enjoyment in the daily routine.	B．New journeys in the wild.
C．Better skills of observation.	D．Different styles of photography.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Revisiting Lost Childhood Memories

B．Appreciating Beauty Behind the Lens

C．Regaining Pleasure Through Photography

D．Escaping Teenage Sadness with Camera

9 . Travelling with friends can be an amazing experience where you could make lifelong memories or it could ruin your friendship.     1     Here are some rules you should follow to make sure your next trip with friends goes as smoothly as possible.

    2     Sure, you and your friends probably have some similar interests, but that’s not always the case. In an effort to keep everyone happy, go over travel plans and expectations ahead of time. Have each person categorize activities or sights into “must-see”, “want to see” and “would go if we have time”. Plan accordingly and make sure everyone can see some of their top attractions.

Communicate and respect each other. Everyone has personal preferences when travelling— from getting the bed closest to the bathroom or sitting in the airplane’s window seat. But sometimes things don’t go as you like. In this case, share your requirements directly with your travel companions.     3     Have a conversation when problems arise, for communication is the key.

Don’t disappear. When travelling with a group — or even just one other person — you may want some alone time. That’s completely fine, but make sure your friends know where you are and have a way of contacting you.     4    

Get off your phone. Of course, your friends will understand if you need to take a call from a family member, or in the event of a work emergency, but other than that, try to stay off your phone.     5     After all, the appeal of this type of trip is to spend time with friends. Just enjoy it!

A．Give each other some space.

B．Include at least one activity for everyone.

C．So it’s important to make sure you and your friend(s) are on the same page.

D．At the same time, listen to their concerns and be respectful of them.

E．Don’t respond to less important work contact or send messages frequently.

F．It’s especially true of travelling in foreign countries or unfamiliar places.

G．And remember that consideration and respect go a long way.

10 . I live in Xizhou in Yunnan Province, on the historic Tea Horse Road. I have to admit that when I first heard that Paul Salopek was going to walk the entire globe on his own two feet, I was blown away. I couldn’t imagine that there could be such an unusual person in the world.

Last May, I met Paul. He told me that it was his first time in China. He talked to me with great excitement about the history, migrations, and discoveries in my region of China. He spoke of the Shu-Yandu Dao (the Southern Silk Road), the travels of the 17th-century Chinese explorer Xu Xiake, the Tea Horse Road and the early 20th-century American botanist Joseph Rock. He also talked of Xuanzang. Paul considered many of them heroes and in a sense Chinese pioneers of slow journalism.

I decided to accompany Paul on his walk toward Yunnan. On September 28, 2021, we set out. Our days were simple: walk, eat, sleep, and repeat. We woke up at sunrise, set off in high spirits, and rested at sunset, dragging ourselves into exhausted sleep.

We met many people on the road. Some were curious, surrounding us and watching us; some gave us directions; some invited us into their home to take a rest; some spoke of the charm of their hometown. We met many beautiful souls, simple souls and warm souls. We were walking with our minds.

Together, we were impressed by the biodiversity of the Gaoligong Mountains. As I walked on ancient paths through mountains, I seemed to hear the antique voices of past travelers urging me to be careful on the road.

Looking back on the more than 200 miles I walked with Paul, I came to a realization. Walking for its own sake, while healthy and admirable, is only a small part of the benefit of moving with our feet. A deeper reward is rediscovering the world around us, shortening the distance between each other, and sharing each other’s cultures.

1. How did the writer first respond to Paul’s travel plan?

A．Scared.	B．Puzzled.
C．Disappointed.	D．Surprised.

2. What can we learn about Paul Salopek from paragraph 2?

A．He was a western journalist.	B．He had a knowledge of China.
C．He came to China several times.	D．He was Joseph Rock’s acquaintance.

3. What does paragraph 4 tell us about the writer and Paul?

A．They honored the ancestors.	B．They set off in high spirits.
C．They satisfied the locals’ curiosity.	D．They built bonds with people.

4. What is the main purpose of the writer’s writing the text?

A．To share and reflect on a journey.	B．To suggest a new way of travel.
C．To advocate protection of biodiversity.	D．To introduce and promote Chinese culture.