1 . John loved fairytales as a child and went on to study English literature at Oxford University. There, he joined a literary club with friends who shared his passion. However, World War I changed everything for him and his friends. During the Battle of the Somme, his unit suffered heavy losses, but John was sent home because he had trench fever, which saved his life. By the end of the war, many of his literary friends had not survived.

After the war, John became a professor at Oxford. Despite his academic responsibilities, he had a strong desire to write his own fiction. Inspired by fairytales, he began creating a grand mythology for England. However, when he tried to publish this extensive work, publishers rejected it, finding it too long and complicated.

In addition to his mythology, John entertained his children with bedtime stories, often making them up on the spot. One day, he wrote, "In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit." This simple line led to the creation of The Hobbit, a children's book that became very popular and made John Ronald Reuel Tolkien a well-known author.

Despite the success of The Hobbit, Tolkien never gave up on his grand mythology, which he named The Silmarillion. Unfortunately, even as a best-selling author, he faced continued rejection from publishers who were more interested in a sequel to The Hobbit than in his complex mythology. Nonetheless, Tolkien stayed committed to his imaginative world, showing his strong dedication to his creative vision.

1. What do we know about John's experience in World War Ⅰ?

A．He was saved by a member of his literary club.

B．He returned to the battlefield to realize his ambition.

C．He survived the most intense fighting in the Somme.

D．He was relieved from the front line early due to his illness.

2. What influenced John's desire to write his own fiction?

A．His academic qualification.	B．His love for fairytales.
C．His role as a professor.	D．His membership in a literary club.

3. Why did John write The Hobbit?

A．To change his writing style.	B．To amuse his children.
C．To satisfy the market.	D．To shoulder his responsibilities.

4. Why did John keep working on his mythology despite rejections?

A．To follow his dream.	B．To gain popularity.
C．To prove publishers wrong.	D．To express his creativity.

2 . Taking care of our skin is highly important, and healthy skin is key to protection from harmful elements. There are a lot of skincare advice and it may be confusing to choose which one is good for us.     1    .

Clean your skin properly

Clean twice, not once, according to Marie Claire. The first cleaning will simply remove all the surface make-up and dirt.     2    . Proper cleaning produces new skin cells, and that will improve your complexion.

    3    

Aside from applying moisturizers (润肤膏), our skin can become moist thanks to enough water intake. Drink six to eight glasses of water a day to ensure your metabolism (新陈代谢) works well, and good metabolism contributes to hydrated, supple and clearer skin.

Get enough sleep

“Sleep is nature’s most powerful beauty treatment,” wrote Fitness Magazine. When we are asleep, our bodies produce a human growth hormone that contributes to collagen production. Hair, face and body products also recover better when we are at rest. Get enough sleep.     4    .

Have a proper diet

Glowing skin is a sign of inner organs (器官) that function well.     5    . Make sure that your daily intake includes high antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. You might as well consider eating super foods or use skincare products that contain them.

A．Drink enough water

B．You will wake up feeling and looking refreshed

C．The second cleans deeper

D．Sleeping plays an important role in our life

E．It is linked to a healthy and balanced diet

F．So you need to eat various of food and fruit every day

G．Here is a list of tips on skincare that you can try

3 . A New Approach to Learning Languages

The Language Learning Institute (LLI) is excited to announce a series of language workshops designed for beginners and advanced learners alike. These workshops aim to provide a fun and immersive environment for mastering new languages.

Workshop 1—Spanish for Beginners

Join us for an introductory course in Spanish led by native speaker Maria Sanchez. This workshop is perfect for those who have always wanted to learn Spanish but never had the chance. You'll start with the basics and gradually build up to more complex conversations.

Date and Time: Saturday, 15th October, at 10: 00

Location: LLI Main Hall

Duration: 3 hours

Workshop 2—Advanced French

For those who already have a good grasp of French, this advanced workshop with expert tutor Pierre Dupont will take your language skills to the next level. You'll study the origin of the language, idiomatic expressions, and cultural insights.

Date and Time: Sunday, 16th October, at 14: 00

Location: LLI Conference Room

Duration: 4 hours

Workshop 3—German Language and Culture

Experience the richness of German language and culture with Dr Hans Richter. This workshop is designed for intermediate learners who want to deepen their understanding of German and its cultural context.

Date and Time: Saturday, 15th October, at 15: 00

Location: LLI Cultural Center

Duration: 3. 5 hours

Workshop 4—Italian Immersion

Step into the world of Italian with our immersive workshop led by Italian language enthusiast, Sofia Romano. This hands-on experience will help you speak Italian in no time, with a focus on conversational skills and everyday usage.

Date and Time: Sunday, 16th October, at 9: 30

Location: LLI Language Lab

Duration: 2. 5 hours

1. Who is the tutor for the Advanced French workshop?

A．Maria Sanchez.

B．Pierre Dupont.

C．Hans Richter.

D．Sofia Romano.

2. What is the focus of the Italian Immersion workshop?

A．Reading and writing skills.	B．Cultural context.
C．Conversational skills.	D．Business language.

3. What do the four workshops have in common?

A．They involve native speakers.	B．They are suitable for beginners.
C．They are scheduled for the weekday.	D．They aim to enhance language abilities.

4 .

Friends are important in our lives, but we sometimes have to separate from our friends. “A Farewell (告别) Song” is about saying goodbye to a friend. It is a famous poem by Wang Wei, a great poet, who lived in Tang Dynasty. He is good at writing poems and drawing. When talking about Wang Wei, people often say there are pictures in his poems and there are poems in his pictures. His poems are full of beauty and imagination.

“No dust is raised on the road wet with morning rain”, “The willows by the hotel look so fresh and green”, a picture of silence and peace gets into our eyes. After a morning rain in spring, the road, the willows (柳树) and the hotel are completely different. The hotel looks green. The willows look fresh. Everything is nice, gentle and silent. Willow branches are considered as a typical symbol of farewell in China. In ancient times, Chinese people often used them as gifts when they said goodbye to their friends.

“I invite you to drink a cup of wine again” is the poet’s warm and real way of not wanting to say goodbye to his friend. Having another drink together is like a symbol of their goodbye. Lastly, “West of the sunny pass no more friends will be seen” shows the feeling of being alone and missing someone. It also shows his sincere love and care for his friend.

“A Farewell Song” creates a feeling of quiet sadness. It mixes beautiful pictures and human feelings to deeply express the common experience of saying goodbye.

1. Who is the writer of this poem?

A．李白

B．王维

C．杜甫

D．高适

2. When did Wang Wei’s friend leave in the poem?

A．In spring.

B．In summer.

C．In autumn.

D．In winter

3. What is considered as a typical symbol of farewell in China?

A．A morning rain.

B．A handkerchief.

C．A willow branch.

D．A red bean

4. Which of the following rhymes (押韵) are RIGHT for this poem?

A．aa-bb.

B．ab-ab.

C．ab-cd.

D．ad-bc

5. What does Wang Wei want to show in this poem?

A．To show his excitement after seeing his old friend.

B．To show his joy before separating from his friend.

C．To show a feeling of quiet sadness before farewell.

D．To show his anger before farewell

5 . Maasai Tribe Visit

The Maasai tribe (部落) experience is recommended for everyone visiting Arusha, a Tanzanian city. During this time, you will have a full day’s experience as a tribal Maasai. This is a deep cultural experience that anyone and any group can enjoy.

During the day you will be separated into two different groups, a group for men and a group for women.

Some of the activities that boys will take part in are:

•preparing beds

•dancing in different places around the community

•looking after goats (山羊)

•finding natural medicines in the forest

•meeting with different families

•drinking medicines that are known to make you stronger

Some of the activities that women will take part in are:

•meeting and discussing family and tribal matters with each other

•going to get water

•collecting firewood

•milking cattle (牛)

•preparing and cooking food

•singing songs with other women

•building houses

•making bracelets from beads (用珠子做手镯)

If you choose to sleep overnight, you will sleep in a traditional Maasai boma, a small house, or you can sleep out by the fire and enjoy stories told by the villagers.

Here are the details of the Maasai Tribe Visit:

Full-day experience:

•Price: $140 per person

•Includes 2 meals

•Monday-Sunday

Full-day and overnight experience:

•Price: $200 per person

•Includes 3 meals

•Monday-Sunday

1. What do we know about the Maasai Tribe Visit?

A．It is for young people.	B．It is a cultural tour.
C．It lasts at least for several days.	D．It takes place just on weekends.

2. Which activity can a boy choose to do during the trip?

A．Carry water.	B．Build a house.
C．Dance in different places.	D．Collect wood for a fire.

3. What may a visitor who stays overnight enjoy?

A．Visits to more places.	B．One more cheap dinner.
C．A free bracelet from beads.	D．A good sleep by the fire.

6 . Volunteer Summer Camp for Teens in Costa Rica

Are you 16 or 17 years old and wanting to volunteer abroad this summer? International Volunteer HQ’s Summer Camp for teen volunteers is an awesome way for 16- and 17-year- old volunteers to spend part of their summer holidays contributing towards important community initiatives and learning about Costa Rican culture.

What to expect and how you’ll make an impact:

The Teen Volunteer Summer Camp is an incredible cultural immersion (沉浸) experience available to individual volunteers aged 16 and 17 and it is fully accompanied by adults.

Participants will take part in planned activities including volunteering in local community projects, taking local dance lessons, going on cultural adventures, and joining nature tours led by our professional guides.

The Volunteer Teen Camp has two available start dates in August. The first is available on August 1st, and participants can join for a 1-3 week duration. The second start date is August 15th for a maximum of one week.

Why join the Volunteer Summer Camp in Costa Rica with IVHQ?

When you volunteer as a teen in Costa Rica, you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:

* Contributing to community- driven volunteer projects

* Developing your communication skills

* Learning about Costa Rica’s culture, food and history

* Discovering Costa Rica’s beautiful beaches, national parks and cities

Volunteer requirements:

* Volunteers must provide IVHQ with parental agreement in order to participate on the program.

* Independent volunteers aged 16 and 17 can join this project for 1 -3 weeks.

* Volunteers must provide two character reference letters.

* All volunteers are required to have enough volunteer travel insurance.

* All volunteers must speak fluent English.

1. What will volunteers do in the camp?

A．Instruct dance lessons.	B．Take guided nature tours.
C．Go on outdoor adventures.	D．Visit some community activities.

2. How can participants benefit from this summer camp?

A．They can learn standard English.	B．They can get money for their effort.
C．They can gain rich experience in teaching.	D．They can better their skills in communication.

3. What is needed to apply for the camp?

A．Affording three weeks’ free time.	B．Being accompanied by one parent.
C．Having previous related experience.	D．Offering two letters of recommendation.

7 . The meeting continues, and you feel your eyes getting heavy, your mind drowsy (昏昏欲睡). Suddenly you wake up and get a very attentive wakefulness — did anyone see me doze off (打盹) ? You’ve fallen into a microsleep, a very brief sleep that ends almost as soon as it begins. When you’re trying to be awake and active, these may make you feel anxious or, if they happen behind the wheel, justifiably terrified.

Microsleeps don’t make us feel rested or restored, like longer periods of uninterrupted sleep would. Yet a new study shows that nesting chinstrap penguins (帽带企鹅) sleep just this way more than 10, 000 times a day. Incredibly, our experiments prove that this strange sleep cycle seems to do the birds no obvious harm.

“What is really weird is that the penguin can sustain this in-between wake and sleep state constantly,” explains co-author Paul-Antoine Libourel, who studies the biology of sleep. Simply watching the penguins nod and blink gave the appearance that they were drowsy, he adds, but the extent of their sleeping was a surprise.

To study these penguins, for two weeks, the scientists used some sensors to record data to measure the birds’ sleep-related brain activity. Other sensors recorded the birds’ positions (standing, lying, diving), tracked their location via GPS, and collected environmental data like temperature. The authors also did continuous video monitoring of the same nesting birds so that their observable behaviors could be matched with simultaneous data on their brain activity.

Researchers discovered that the birds nodded off thousands of times per day, engaging in microsleeps that averaged just four seconds each but added up to more than 11 hours of sleep per day.

Why would the birds adopt this fascinating sleep cycle? The need to sleep briefly could simply be a consequence of living in a noisy group where sleep is constantly interrupted. The constant guard also help keep the nests safe from the brown skua bird, which feeds on penguin eggs and chicks. Having only seconds of sleep at a time would allow the birds to react to any possible dangers.

1. How does the author introduce the topic in the first paragraph?

A．By describing a familiar scene.	B．By introducing a sleep pattern.
C．By reminding you of a bad habit.	D．By showing the boredom of meetings.

2. What does the underlined word “weird” in paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Inspiring.

B．Strange.

C．Worrying.

D．Meaningful.

3. What might contribute to chinstrap penguins' sleep pattern?

A．Their unique brain structure.	B．Their years’ of hard training.
C．Their tough living environment.	D．Their special standing position.

4. What can be the best title for the passage?

A．Seconds of Sleep, Lifelong Benefits	B．Awake or Asleep? No One Knows for Sure
C．Falling into Sleep? You Are Completely Wrong	D．Sleeping for Seconds, Thousands of Times a Day

8 . As we drove along the country road, a herd of deer emerged as if by magic, surrounding us from all sides. I shouted at my husband to slow down and avoid hitting them. We were coming to a stop when the car doors flew open and we sprang out of the car. A deer lay injured by the roadside, with its eyes wide open. While some deer scattered, a few remained at a safe distance, observing the scene. “I have to call the police,” my husband said.

As we waited for help, a nearby resident came out of his house, angrily shouting instructions. I told him that we had already contacted the police. He stood at his doorway, arms crossed, watching us. I know he wanted to make sure we didn’t leave the scene.

I suggested calling a 24- hour veterinarian clinic, but before doing so, I noticed a slight movement in the deer’s back leg. We watched as she struggled to rise. After several minutes, she managed to stand. She turned her head to look at us, and then leapt gracefully toward the forest.

I raced after her until she disappeared into the forest. Tears streamed down my face, a mix of joy that she could run again and fear for her survival. I walked back to the car just as the police arrived. Our “security guard” returned to his house, satisfied that his role was complete.

After listening to our account, the police praised us for remaining at the scene. They told us that deer are resilient creatures and that she would survive.

The following day, we revisited the scene. The area showed no signs of blood. I discovered a piece of our car’s plastic bumper with the deer’s fur attached to it. I picked it up and took it home.

Whenever I see a deer walking through the forest along our country road, I wonder if it was our deer from that summer evening.

1. What did the author and her husband do upon discovering an injured deer by the roadside?

A．They drove away the other deer.	B．They slowed down to avoid it.
C．The husband contacted the police.	D．The wife tried to help the deer stand up.

2. How did the nearby resident react to the situation?

A．He kept a close watch on the couple.	B．He immediately called a local veterinarian.
C．He observed the injured deer closely.	D．He gave tips on how to handle the injured deer.

3. How did the author feel when the injured deer stood up and ran into the forest?

A．Sad and disappointed.	B．Surprised and confused.
C．Happy but a little worried.	D．Relieved but a little frustrated.

4. What did the police do about the incident?

A．They fined the couple.	B．They comforted the couple.
C．They tracked the injured deer.	D．They investigated the scene.

9 . Being a teenager can be both exciting and challenging. It’s a time of self-discovery, growth, and learning. Here are some tips to help you stay motivated and achieve your goals.

Be positive. A positive attitude can make a big difference in your life. When you face difficulties, try to look at the bright side and find solutions instead of complaining. Believe in yourself and your abilities.    1    

Set goals. Having clear goals can give you direction and purpose. Think about what you want to achieve in the short term and the long term. Write them down and make a plan to reach them.    2    .

Learn from failures. Everyone makes mistakes and experiences failures. Don’t let them discourage you. Instead, learn from them and use them as opportunities to grow. Analyze what went wrong and how you can improve next time.    3    .

Surround yourself with positive people. The people you spend time with can have a big impact on your mood and motivation. Surround yourself with friends, family, and mentors who support you and inspire you. Avoid negative people who bring you down.

    4    

Take care of yourself. Your physical and mental health are essential for your success. Make sure to eat well, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. Take breaks when you need them and do things that make you happy.    5    .

A．Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

B．Focus on your strengths and use them to your advantage.

C．Remember that failure is a part of the learning process.

D．A positive mindset will attract positive opportunities.

E．They can offer advice and encouragement when you face challenges.

F．Taking care of yourself will help you stay focused and motivated.

10 . Cut Schools’ CO₂ Emissions (排放)

The threat of climate change is attracting the attention of concerned children across the world. High levels of greenhouse gases are warming our planet and CO₂ caused by humans is having a negative influence on wildlife.

How can schools reduce CO₂ emissions?

There are lots of ways you can take action. Talking to the local authorities (当地政府) is a good place to start as they may be able to offer support. You could also have a brainstorming discussion with your schoolmates.

Encourage schoolmates to walk to school. Traffic is a major cause of CO₂ emissions, so it’s important to create a green travel plan.

Change to a renewable energy supplier that uses wind or solar power (太阳能) instead of coal or gas.

Use less energy. Get schoolmates to realize how much energy they use and encourage them to come up with practical measures.

Simple ways to save energy in schools

Here are some things you can start doing. As well as saving energy and protecting the environment, you’ll also save your school a wealth of money!

Turn heating down a degree.

Avoid leaving electronics on.

Change to energy-saving bulbs.

Turn off lights in unoccupied (空的) rooms.

Get the whole school included

Ask your schoolmates to think of ways they can raise awareness. They could design posters reminding people to do their bit.

Get one point on the Green Tree Schools Award

When you show us how you’ve reduced your school’s carbon footprint, you’ll earn one point on the Green Tree Schools Award. Check your point at learning@woodlandtrust.org.uk.

1. How can schools reduce CO₂ emissions?

A．By stopping using energy.	B．By using solar power.
C．By changing energy suppliers.	D．By recording green travel plans.

2. Which of the following can help save energy in schools?

A．Limiting the number of electronics.	B．Selling energy-saving bulbs.
C．Ending the lighting in empty rooms.	D．Fixing the heating system.

3. Who is the text written for?

A．School children.	B．Local authorities.
C．Environmental groups.	D．Community volunteers.