1 . Everyday Food

by Martha Stewart

No matter how busy you are, at the end of the day you want meals that are easy to prepare. And you want lots of choices and variations. You’ll find all of that in this book: 250 simple recipes for delicious meals that bring freshness and nutrition.

Paperback, published by Random House, $16.79

Mighty Jack

By Ben Hatke

Jack dislikes summer. But he’s got a good reason: summer is when his single mom takes a second job and leaves him at home to watch his sister, Maddy. It’s lots of responsibility, and it’s boring, too, because Maddy doesn’t talk. But one day, at the market, Maddy does talk—to tell Jack to trade their mom’s car for a box of mysterious seeds. It’s the best mistake Jack has ever made.

Hardcover, published by First Second, $14.15

Zeroes

By Scott Westerfeld, Margo Lanagan, Deborah Biancotti

The New York Times best-selling author Scott Westerfeld teams up with Margo Lanagan and Deborah Biancotti in the book about six teenagers with amazing abilities. These teenagers have powers that set them apart. They can do things ordinary people can’t.

Paperback, published by Simon & Schuster, $12.99

Only Daughter

By Anna Snoekstra

She’s caught stealing. She’s homeless and on the run. But she happens to look the same as a girl who went missing a decade ago, Rebecca Winter. She takes Rebecca’s identity, using it as a way out. Little does she know her new life as Rebecca is itself a prison and it looks like a killer might be after her.

Kindle edition, published by Harlequin Enterprises, $8.88

1. Who wrote a book to help you cook a meal?

A．Anna Snoekstra	B．Ben Hatke.
C．Scott Westerfeld.	D．Martha Stewart

2. How much should readers pay for a story about a boy’s amazing experience?

A．$8.88.

B．$14.15.

C．$12.99.

D．$16.79.

3. What do we know about Only Daughter?

A．Its heroine enjoys her life on the run.	B．It provides different kinds of editions.
C．Its heroine lives with a false identity.	D．It is written by Harlequin Enterprises.

2 . No business would welcome being compared to gambling (赌博). Yet that is what is happening to makers of video games. For years parents have complained that their children are “addicted” to their video games and smartphones. Today, however, even more doctors are using the term. On January 1 this year, “gaming disorder” — in which games are played uncontrollably, despite causing harm — gained recognition from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Are games really addictive? Psychologists have different opinions. Those who don’t think so say that this is just another moral panic. Similar warnings have been given about television, rock’n’roll, jazz, comic books, novels and even crossword puzzles, but it turns out that they are not as harmful as expected.

However, supporters argue that game developers have the motivation and the means to design their products to make them extremely attractive. For one thing, the business- model has changed: In the old days, games were bought once and for all. But these days, games are free and money is earned from buying of in-game goods, which ties playtime directly to profit they make. For another, game-makers combine psychological theory and data, which helps them maximize the playtime. Smart phones and modern video game machines use their permanent Internet connections to send gameplay data back to developers. In this way products are constantly adjusted to encourage players’ spending. The biggest spenders are known as “whales”, a term that originated in casinos (赌场).

The gaming industry should realize that, in the real world, it has a problem, and that problem is growing. Now that gaming addiction comes with an official WHO recognition, diagnoses will become more common. Anyway, being put together with gambling in the public mind, fairly or not, will not do the industry any good.

1. What do we know from Paragraph 1?

A．It is not suitable to compare video games to gambling.

B．Parents complain about their children’s addiction to gambling.

C．Gaming addiction was officially recognized as a disease.

D．More doctors are against the use of the term “addicted”.

2. What does the underlined words “moral panic” in Paragraph 2 mean?

A．Unexpected addiction caused by science and technology.

B．Wrong judgment on how harmful something is.

C．Trouble caused by someone’s immoral behavior.

D．A shocking statement of the unexpected panic.

3. What do games developers do to make games attractive?

A．They don’t charge players for in-game goods.

B．They keep players’ video game machines updated.

C．They reward big spenders with a unique title.

D．They adjust products based on received data.

4. In the last paragraph, the author aims to _______.

A．offer a suggestion	B．make a prediction
C．give a warning	D．put forward a solution

3 . Nowadays, everyone seems to hope to go into space and live on new planets. Instead of depending on another pre-existing planet, could we make a new planet by ourselves?

First of all, if we were to live on it, we should find a good place in space to put the new planet. We would want it to be in a habitable zone, which means the planet should be at the right distance from its star to make sure there would be perfect temperatures and most importantly, liquid water.

We’d also need the right materials to make the planet. Our Earth is made up of many different elements (元素). If we made our own new planet, we’d probably want it to have similar elements and a similar structure (结构). We’d also want enough water to form some oceans.

But even if we get all of the materials, creating a new planet like Earth could have many troubles. It might be something more like a huge space station. It would be pretty expensive if we wanted it to be super big.

We would probably also need a lot of food because there is going to be many scientists and astronauts out in space working on this project!

According to NASA, each astronaut uses about 0.83 kilograms of food per meal, including 0.12 kilograms of packaging (包装) material. Without the weight of the packaging material, we’d need about 780 kilograms of food just to feed one astronaut for a year.

Putting all these together could make it possible to make our own planet one day! In fact, creating a new planet would probably require a very modern technology and there would be tons of other things to think about. And if this is possible, it won’t likely happen within a very long time.

1. To create a new planet, which of the following should we first do?

A．To collect materials similar to Earth.	B．To prepare plenty of food for astronauts to eat.
C．To design its inner structure.	D．To find a proper place to set it.

2. How much food will an astronaut really eat for each meal?

A．About 0.12 kilograms.	B．About 0.71 kilograms.
C．About 0.83 kilograms.	D．About 0.95 kilograms.

3. What does the author think of making a new planet?

A．It is a waste of time and money.

B．It may be a dangerous thing for humans.

C．It is impossible to come true in the near future.

D．It should be one of NASA’s next plans.

5 . It was June 15, and in two days I would be turning thirty. I was insecure about entering a new decade of my life and feared that my best years were now behind me.

My daily routine included going to the gym for a workout before going to work. Every morning I would see my friend Nicholas at the gym. He was seventy-nine years old and in terrific shape. As I greeted Nicholas on this particular day, he noticed I wasn’t full of my usual vitality and asked if there was anything wrong. I told him I was feeling anxious about turning thirty. I wondered how I would look back on my life once I reached Nicholas’ sage, so I asked him, “What was the best time of your life?”

Without hesitation, Nicholas replied, “Well, Joe, this is my philosophical answer to your philosophical question.”

“When I was a child in Austria and everything was taken care of for me and I was nurtured by my parents, that was the best time of my life.”

“When I was going to school and learning the things I know today, that was the best time of my life.”

“When I got my first job and had responsibilities and got paid for my efforts, that was the best time of my life.”

“When I met my wife and fell in love, that was the best time of my life.”

“The Second World War came, and my wife and I had to flee Austria to save our lives. When we were together and safe on a ship bound for North America, that was the best time of my life.”

“When we came to Canada and started a family, that was the best time of my life.”

“When I was a young father, watching my children grow up, that was the best time of my life.”

“And now, Joe, I am seventy-nine years old. I have my health, I feel good and I am in love with my wife just as I was when we first met. This is the best time of my life.”

1. Why did the author feel anxious according to the article?

A．He would be 30 in two days.

B．He was worried about getting old.

C．He didn’t go to the gym to exercise.

D．Nicholas asked questions he didn’t want to answer.

2. What do we know about Nicholas’ life experiences?

A．He spent his childhood with his grandparents in Austria.

B．He dropped out of school, found a job and got paid.

C．He took part in the Second World War and met his wife.

D．He started a family and became a young father in Canada.

3. What do you think of Nicholas’s life?

A．Casual.

B．Anxious.

C．Positive.

D．Negative.

4. What can we learn from Nicholas?

A．Live a day at a time.	B．You get what you pay for.
C．Every man has his price.	D．Strike while the iron is hot.

7 . Dance is one of the most wonderful forms of human communication. In many cultures, dance has both historic and cultural significance, which is communicated through learned gestures and expressions. Here are a bit more details about three of the world’s most beautiful dances.

Kathakali

Kathakali is a storytelling dance, during which performers use a variety of gestures, and eyes and facial expressions to communicate meanings. Costumes, hair styles, makeup and face paint, and jewelry also all hold specific meanings in the performance of Kathakali. There are nine facial expressions used to express emotions ranging from sadness and anger to curiosity. Through their expressions, it should be completely clear to the viewer what the performer is intending to convey.

Tango

The dance has its roots in an African slave dance called candombe, which is also a type of music. One key factor of a candombe performance is a partnered dance, which has over time developed into the modern tango. If you can keep your eyes on one part of the tango, just focus on the dancers’ legs and feet. The tango is typically performed low to the ground, with both performers’ steps often taking place at the same time. It’s complex and communicative.

Flamenco

One of the most interesting facts about the flamenco is that it began as a song. Over time, flamenco developed to include its now-famous passionate accompanying dance. One of the key factors of flamenco is palmas. It may look like simple, rhythmic clapping, but palmas are performed at different speeds,and strengths, and it is essential that the flamenco dancer understands how to make use of his or her hands as part of the performance.

1. Kathakali is a dance for performers to __________

A．pass on information to each other	B．tell a story and express emotions
C．exchange ideas with the audience	D．show costumes, hair styles, makeup and face paint

2. What should you pay attention to when watching a tango?

A．The dancers’ arms and hands.	B．The dancers’ eyes and hands.
C．The dancers’ facial expressions.	D．The dancers’ legs and feet.

3. The passage is written to __________

A．introduce three of the world’s most beautiful dances

B．emphasize the importance of human communication

C．promote the development of passionate accompanying dances

D．attract readers to join in different forms of human communication

9 . While computers are incredibly useful tools, they can also be addictive. Many kids have the problem of spending too much time on the computer. Help your child overcome their own computer addiction by using the following methods.

    1     If you are not at home, you can change the password (密码) daily and send it to your child remotely once you’re ready to give them access (机会).

    2     Limit your child to using the computer for a maximum of two hours per day if they are over two years old. Children under two should not have access to any screen time.

Talk with your child about their excessive computer use. Find out if there are any specific reasons why they spend so much time on the computer.     3     If your child is facing problems that are causing a desire to escape, address those with them through discussions, providing advice, or getting them help when necessary.

Be a good role model.     4     Instead, be present when you are with them and work on spending more time together.

Encourage them to join clubs or organizations. Find out from them what clubs or organizations are offered at their school.     5    

A．Set a time limit on computer use.

B．Encourage your child to read books.

C．Set a password for the computer that only you know.

D．Don’t spend a lot of time using the computer around your child.

E．Sometimes, the computer can function as an escape from reality.

F．Some children may stay up late into the night in order to use the computer.

G．This will provide them with another way of meeting others and developing new hobbies and interests.

10 . Ann, 15, Lakeside High School　USA

My name is Ann Wells and I’m a Grade 10 student at Lakeside High School. I’m an active person and I love sports. I’m curious about everything. I often ask questions, but I learn best by doing. My favourite subject is physics. Dancing and skating are my hobbies, and I also like to read short stories. I plan to become an engineer in the future.

Thando, 16, South Hill High School　South Africa

I’m Thando Gowon. I’m 16 this year. I come from South Africa. I’m a Grade 10 student at South Hill High School. I look good, think fast, and play hard.

You’ll never see me without a book or a pen. If I’m not in class, I’m either in the library or in the computer lab. At the weekends, I play computer games if I’m not busy studying. My dream is to start my own IT company!

1. What subject does Ann like best?

A．English.	B．Chinese.
C．Chemistry.	D．Physics.

2. Which is NOT Ann’s hobby?

A．Skating.

B．Reading short stories.

C．Dancing.

D．Chatting with others.

3. What’s Thando’s dream?

A．Playing computer games.

B．Running a company.

C．Buying a new computer.

D．Becoming an engineer.