1 . At the age of 24, most people are still trying to figure out their way in the world. Not for Kylian Mbappe. The Frenchman is on his way to greatness already.
Mbappe became known to the world in the Russian World Cup of 2018. At that time, he was just starting out in his career. But he showed everyone that he had all of the skills of a great football player. He was the scorer of four goals then. And after only two World Cups, the young man has already scored 12 World Cup goals. Messi only has one more goal than him over the course of five World Cups.
Mbappe’s performance in the 2022 World Cup final (决赛) was perfect. But the final night belonged to Argentina. Messi and his teammates performed a little bit better. Mbappe, however, is confident of his ability to make his mark in future World Cups. After all, he has just turned 24. If he remains injury-free, he should have at least two more World Cups ahead of him. After all, it’s common for players to get hurt in the field. If he plays for as long as Messi, that number will rise to three.
The future is uncertain, but we know one thing for sure: Mbappe will continue to challenge himself. “I’ve never said I was going to be the greatest player in history,” said Mbappe. “But I’ve never put limits (极限) on myself.” Let’s wait for his wonderful performance in The FIFA World Cup. America\Mexico\Canada 2026.
1. Mbappe has joined in ___________ World Cups.| A．two | B．three | C．four | D．five |
| A．France | B．Russia | C．America | D．Argentina |
| A．无忧无虑的 | B．不受损伤的 | C．信心十足的 | D．完美无缺的 |
| A．He is a great football player in Russia. | B．He is too young to be the winner. |
| C．He will become better and better. | D．He doesn’t play as well as Messi. |
2 . Is it easy for you to get angry? Do you sometimes think others treat you badly? Maybe the story below can bring you something.
Rick was a young boy who was often angry at everything around him. To help Rick, his mom came home with a canvas (画布) and paint. “You are good at painting. Whenever you feel bad about something, paint it instead of getting angry,” said his mother.
Though not that happy. Rick gave it a try After creating many paintings, he took bis artwork to his mom. “Tell me, Rick. What are these paintings about?” his mother asked. “The first is about how some kids in my class show off (炫耀) their new clothes The next is about my teacher who always tells me about how I’m doing things wrong. And the last painting is about how one of my schoolmates said I should change my attitude (态度). They all make me so angry,” Rick replied.
Rick’s mom took Rick by her side and told him, “Don’t you see, Rick? You’re getting so angry but you never try to understand why.” Then she explained carefully, “All the people you were angry with did nothing wrong. The kids were showing off their good clothes but never laughed at you for not being able to afford any. Your teacher scolded (责备) you but that was because you caused trouble in class. And your schoolmate was only trying to help you correct your mistakes.”
Rick’s mom smiled and said, “Next time you get angry, take a deep breath and walk away for a couple of seconds. And when you come back, talk to the person you’re angry with. You might keep your cool in this way.”
Rick took his mom’s advice and became less angry. Now he feels happy around other children.
1. Why did Rick’s mom ask him to paint?| A．Because she wanted to know what would make him angry and helped him. |
| B．Because the teacher thought painting was the best way to make Rick happy. |
| C．Because every time Rick painted, he didn’t think about any unhappy things. |
| D．Because only painting could keep Rick from getting angry with his friends. |
| A．Rick’s classmates | B．Rick’s teacher |
| C．Rick’s mother | D．Rick’s schoolmate |
| A．Rick was often angry with others | B．Rick is good at painting |
| C．the kids in Rick’s class aren’t friendly | D．Rick isn’t from a rich family |
| A．An Angry Boy | B．Beautiful Paintings |
| C．Trouble in Class | D．A Sad Story |
3 . Walking has been considered as one kind of rewarding exercise. For many people, daily walking offers massive and long-term physical and mental benefits.
But the scenery is almost as important as the sweat. Just by going outside, you are stepping out of your habitual surroundings and your comfort zone, which is necessary if you want to open your mind to new possibilities. You can walk through a tree-filled neighborhood.
Walking outside develops our ability to collect new ideas and take in new sights, sounds, smells, and flavors. Shinrin-yoku, a common form of relaxation in Japan, suggests that being in the forest and walking among the trees there can lower your stress levels.
So instead of setting a fitness goal, why not set a creativity goal that starts with walking outdoors?
Walk not just for exercise. Walk for wonder.
| A．Unfortunately, you often fail to do it. |
| B．Expose yourself more to your surroundings. |
| C．The movement during walking is obviously key. |
| D．Without enough energy, you cannot wonder or create. |
| E．But to receive the benefits, you do not have to live in a forest. |
| F．This habit, however, not only benefits well-being but also contributes to innovation. |
| G．Wandering around a park and observing people relaxing or birds singing is also a choice. |
At the opening ceremony (典礼) of the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, everyone was amazed by the Malan Flower Children’s Choir (合唱团). The song moved people around the world. The choir was named after Malan Village. Deng Xiaolan taught music there for 18 years. Sadly, Deng passed away soon after this great performance, leaving behind her beloved village and the children she taught.
Deng Xiaolan was born in a small village in Hebei Province in 1943. She learned the violin and singing when she was young. She joined the school band after entering Tsinghua University, and she also taught her colleagues to play the violin after graduation. She worked in Beijing until she retired(退休). In 2004, the 61-year-old woman started volunteering to teach music in Malan Village.
Deng’s arrival (到来) brought changes to the children in the village. They fell in love with music. They would sing together in the morning, at noon, and at dusk (黄昏). Their beautiful voices went along with the birds’ songs and the wind through the trees. Some of the children went to college to study music and even became music teachers later. To let the children experience the beautiful views of our capital city, she even paid for their trip to Beijing. She led them to the Palace Museum, the Tiananmen Square, and so on. They opened their eyes to the outside world as well.
Teaching music in the village for such a long time was not easy for Deng, but she believed that music could make children healthier and happier. “In the last 18 years of her life, mum devoted (奉献) most of her time and energy to music education for children in Malan Village, which brought her great joy and made her life more meaningful. Her hard work had a big effect even though she’s no longer with us, ” said her daughter.
1. Is Deng Xiaolan still alive?2. When did Deng Xiaolan start volunteering to teach music in Malan Village?
3. What changes did Deng’s arrival bring to the children?
4. Do you think it’s necessary for the old people to volunteer in the way like Deng Xiaolan’s? Why or why not?
5 . For many of us, winter colds come regularly. Whatever we do, winter colds and the flu (流感) always find a way to get in, making us cough and sniffle (抽鼻子) into our scarves.
In fact, when a virus (病毒) like the winter cold enters the body through the nose, the cells (细胞) in the nose start producing simple copies of themselves called extracellular vesicles, or EVs (胞外囊泡)
Recently, a team of scientists think they may have found out why we get more viruses in winter. It's because cold temperatures actually make our noses worse at fighting viruses.
The scientists did tests on cells taken from the noses of human volunteers, because they wanted to find out more about how EVs fight viruses and how well they work in colder temperatures. The results showed that EVs are usually very good at catching viruses, but they don't work so well at lower temperatures. They found that in colder temperatures, the number of EVs produced decreases (减少) by more than 40%, meaning the nose might not be good at stopping viruses from getting further into the body.
Benjamin Bleier, one of the study's scientists, said the results gave the first perfectly reasonable explanation for why we get more colds in the winter months.
And, he said that wearing a mask in winter may not only stop some viruses from getting in, it may also help produce more of those EVs while keeping the nose a little warmer.
1. The writer begins the passage with _________.| A．a story | B．an example | C．a fact | D．a conversation |
| A．EVs are viruses produced in the nose. | B．They catch the viruses and kill them. |
| C．Cells and EVs are viruses in the body. | D．They stop cells coming into the body. |
| A．work better | B．work worse | C．become more | D．become viruses |
| A．the body | B．the nose | C．fighting viruses | D．wearing a mask |
6 . 
1996, 2008, 2020 1997, 2009, 2021 1998, 2010, 2022 1999, 2021, 2023 2000, 2012, 2024 2001, 2013, 2025
2002, 2014, 2026 2003, 2015, 2027 2004, 2016, 2028 2005, 2017, 2029 2006, 2018, 2030 2007, 2019, 2031
It’s 2023 of the Gregorian calendar (公历). You may hear someone says it is the Year of the Rabbit when they talk about the lunar calendar (农历). In ancient times, in order to make people easily remember the years, our ancestors came up with an idea — use the animals represent the years. Each lunar year is named after a different animal. There are 12 animals in total, Twelve Chinese zodiac (生肖) animals come in the order of time. The Year of the Rat comes first and the Year of the Pig comes last.
1. ___________ is not in the Chinese zodiac.| A．The dog | B．The goat | C．The cat | D．The horse |
| A．Dragon | B．Monkey | C．Rat | D．Pig |
| A．2008 | B．2012 | C．2015 | D．2020 |
7 . Twelve-year-old Catherine has a lot of friends—632, actually, if you count up her online friends. And she spends a lot of time with them.
But is it possible that Catherine’s online friendships could be making her lonely? That’s what some experts believe. Connecting online is a great way to stay in touch, they say. However, some experts worry that many kids are so busy connecting online that they might be missing out on true friendships.
Could this be true? During your parents’ childhoods, connecting with friends usually meant spending time with them in the flesh. Kids played Scrabble around a table, not words with friends on their phones. When friends missed each other, they picked up the telephone. Friends might even write letters to each other.
Today, most communication takes place online. A typical teen sends 2,000 texts a month and spends more than 44 hours per week in front of a screen. Much of this time is spent on social media platform.
In fact, in many ways, online communication can make friendships stronger. “There’s definitely a positive influence. Kids can stay in constant contact, which means they can share more of their feelings with each other,” says Katie Davis, co-author of The App Generation.
Other experts, however, warn that too much online communication can get in the way of forming deep friendships. “If we are constantly checking in with our virtual world, we will have little time for our real-world friendships,” says Larry Rosen, a professor at California State University. Rosen also worries that today’s kids might mistake the “friends” on the social media for true friends in life. However, in tough times, you don’t need anyone to like your picture or share your blogs. You need someone who will keep your secrets and hold your hand. You would like to talk face to face.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?| A．To tell about true friends. | B．To start a discussion. |
| C．To encourage online friendships. | D．To summarize(总结) the text. |
| A．In any case. | B．In public. | C．In person. | D．In advance. |
| A．Unconcerned. | B．Positive. | C．Worried. | D．Confused. |
| A．Teenagers need to focus on real-world friendships. | B．It’s easier to develop friendships in real life. |
| C．It’s wise to turn to friends online. | D．Social media help people stay closely connected. |
8 . Here is a great way for you to explore the beautiful countryside and colorful Chinese minority culture of southwest Guizhou during three days. Here is a suggested plan of a journey.
Day 1 Arrive in Zhaoxing Dong Village
Your personal guide will meet you at Congjiang train station and then drive you to Zhaoxing Dong Village. Your guide will walk around with you, explaining the style of the Dong wooden buildings, local customs, and the Dong people’s lifestyle. You can try a popular local snack: oil tea and sticky rice cakes with roast pork. The Dong people’s dancing and singing evening show is very enjoyable, too.
Day 2 Zhaoxing Rice Terraced Fields Hike and Villages
On the way to Huanggang Dong Village in the morning, you will stop to walk around the terraced fields and enjoy great views of the rice terraces and the villages on the mountain slopes. You will see more of the culture of the Dong people. They still live their traditional lives there, which have not been touched by tourism. In the afternoon, you will visit Biasha Miao Village and enjoy their traditional dancing and ceremony with guns.
Day 3 Zhaoxing Departure (离开)
In the morning, your guide will take you to visit a batik (蜡染) workshop. There, you can learn and experience making batik in the Dong style and appreciate the Dong people’s taste in art. You may even make a unique souvenir (纪念品) on your own. After that, your guide will send you to Congjiang Train Station for your departure.
1. When can people enjoy the Dong people’s dancing and singing during the journey?| A．On the first night. | B．On the third night. |
| C．On the first morning. | D．On the second morning. |
| A．Try oil tea. | B．Make batik. |
| C．Go around the terraced fields. | D．Visit Biasha Miao Village. |
| A．Entertainment. | B．Health. | C．Travel. | D．Business. |
9 . Have you heard of depression (抑郁)? It’s a mental illness. People who have it may feel sad all the time or do something to hurt themselves. Now, doctors can put a “happy switch” in their heads to help them.
Doctors at Shanghai Ruijing hospital helped a patient Wu Xiaotian. Wu, 31, has had depression since he was 15 years old. The doctor did an operation on Wu. They put two long lines of electrodes (电极) inside his brain. The 16 electrodes are used to let out electricity on different parts of the brain, which can change the patient’s feelings. Wu can control the “happy switch” through an app on his phone. When feeling down, Wu turns on the switch and the electrodes start working. He is soon cheered up. “It feels like there is power rising from the inside of my body,” Wu said.
The hospital has tested the switch on 26 patients since 2020. Up to now, it has helped cut down a patient’s sad feelings by 60%, said the hospital.
But is the switch safe enough? Although patients like Wu feel great using it, the operation is actually a dangerous one. And doctors are still working to improve it. Also, doctors have to make sure that patients don’t rely on it. Healthy people shouldn’t use it, or it may be like a kind of drug for them.
1. What really makes the “happy switch” work?| A．The small “box”. | B．Electrodes. | C．Electricity. | D．An App. |
| A．Why people have bad feelings. | B．How the “happy switch” works. |
| C．How doctors do operations on brains. | D．Who will have the switch on their brains. |
| A．The switch still needs improving. | B．The switch is a kind of drug. |
| C．All patients who used it became healthy. | D．It can make all sadness go away. |
| A．The new operation is safe for humans. |
| B．Some people may use the switch to sell drugs. |
| C．Different kinds of people should try the switch. |
| D．People should also care about the bad points of the switch. |
10 . 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 |
| A．$8.88. | B．$14.15. | C．$12.99. | D．$16.79. |
| 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. |
