1 . Common Mistakes New Runners Make

Running is a great way to get in shape and just about everyone can do it. However, many make a number of common mistakes, which can interfere (妨碍) with training or lead to injury.     1     , keep these things in mind to help you increase your chances of running success.

·Doing too much too soon

One of the biggest mistakes new runners make is doing too much too soon. Slowly easing into a training program will help reduce the risk of injury, so you can continue on with your new running routine     2     .

·     3    

Beginners might think they need to run every day (or nearly every day) to meet their fitness or weight-loss goals, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Running is a high-impact activity which can be really hard on your body. So it’s important to give your body a rest between workouts.

·Not wearing the right equipment

    4    , it’s important that you wear properly for your workouts. The most important piece of equipment for running is a good pair of running shoes, so be sure to do some research before you purchase a pair. Visit a running specialty store and ask an employee to fit you for a shoe.

•Running through pain

    5     If something hurts when you run, you need to stop and treat the pain. Remember: It doesn’t make you less of a runner if you listen to your body to keep it healthy.

A．Not taking rest days

B．If you’re just starting out

C．Comparing yourself to others

D．Running can be uncomfortable at times

E．It’s important not to use the same muscles

F．While it may be true that you don’t need expensive equipment to take up running

G．Experts suggest increasing your running distance by no more than 10% each week

2 . It is no secret that China has an amazingly rich history and culture. My first exposure (接触) to Chinese culture came totally by chance. One day, I entered my grandfather’s personal library and took a book named Tao Te Ching from one of the shelves. As an 8-year-old, the book’s content completely confused me, but it provided me with an early connection to a beautiful and great philosophical (哲学的) tradition that still influences me today.

Around this time, I also came across several cartoons heavily inspired by traditional Chinese culture and martial arts such as Avatar: The Last Airbender and Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat. Both cartoons describe beautiful landscapes and buildings similar to those found in classical Chinese paintings. This further developed my love of the rich and beautiful culture.

At school I began studying Chinese. My interest in the language developed early on, combining my love of travelling with my love of meeting new people. Later on, my interest in the language developed into exploring widespread Chinese culture. I wanted to challenge myself in a totally new linguistic (语言的) landscape and listen to the lives and stories of others in their own language. I have been lucky enough to have lived in China for around three years. I loved every second I spent there and there is never a shortage of things to see and do, people to meet, and foods to enjoy.

It is safe to say that my journey to studying Chinese has only just begun and these first steps are only a drop in the ocean of lifelong learning, but as the Chinese philosopher Laozi says, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

1. How does the author like the book Tao Te Ching?

A．It encourages him to go to the library.

B．It improves his behavior and habits.

C．It has a long lasting influence on him.

D．It makes him know Chinese society better.

2. What makes the author more interested in Chinese culture?

A．Watching some cartoons.	B．Admiring Chinese paintings.
C．Living abroad for long.	D．Cooking Chinese food.

3. What can we learn from paragraph 3?

A．Chinese culture differs greatly from others’.

B．Travelling takes up much of the author’s time.

C．It’s easy for the author to get on well with others.

D．The author learns languages in real surroundings.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．My Grandpa’s Influence on Me	B．My Exploration of Chinese Culture
C．My Travel Experience in China	D．My Exposure to TaoTe Ching

3 . Music is present in any part of the world, and it is appreciated and felt everywhere. Without its presence, life could be boring. Studies show that music is good for your body and mind.     1    

Music can increase pain management. Listening to music can help increase your pain tolerance (耐痛性).     2     Listening to music can help you gain a sense of control over your ability to deal with pains. If you have a certain pain, for example, listening to music that you enjoy can help reduce the pain that you experience.

●    3     Listening to certain types of music, such as relaxing music, can naturally reduce both your heartbeat rate and breathing rate. Additionally, music has shown promising results as a treatment for heart disease. Whether it involves listening to music or composing music, the calming effect that music produces further improves your heart’s health by supporting it throughout the healing process.

●Music can reduce anxiety and depression     4     When it comes to anxiety and depression, music treatment can help to reduce the amount of stress hormones. For example, listening to music that you enjoy can naturally decrease the amount of cortisol (皮质醇) that your body releases.

●Music can improve self-expression and communication. Self-expression and communication are an important part of the human experience, especially when it comes to basic emotional and mental health needs.     5     By listening and singing along to music, kids who struggle to interact and communicate with others can practice using the very skills needed to do so.

A．Music can improve heart health.

B．Music can increase your heartbeat rate.

C．Here are some benefits of music treatment.

D．They are two common pains in your daily life.

E．It has been proved to be helpful for anxious and depressed people.

F．Listening to music can also help decrease the strength of your pains.

G．For kids weak in both areas, music treatment can help develop their relative skills.

4 . With gas prices rising and airport security lines snaking longer than ever, why not book your next domestic vacation on a train? Compared to other alternatives, it’s comfortable and relaxing. Here is some advice on how to make a trip by rail as pleasant as possible.

Plan ahead. Most long-distance trains, especially the sleeping car accommodations, sell out very quickly.     1     But no matter when you travel, it’s a good idea to make your reservations at least 90 days in advance.

Use a travel agent. Consider turning your travel plan over to a travel agent and letting him double-check all the details, make suggestions, and then handle the actual reservations. A good one can sometimes find you discounted tickets.     2     Then you won’t have to walk through several cars on a moving train three times a day for your meals.

Bring a blanket. When you’re riding on trains, you won’t be provided with a blanket for free, even if your trip is an overnight one.     3     In the summer in particular, the air conditioning can make them quite cold.

Arrive early. Most trains operate just once a day and some run only three times a week, so missing yours can be a disaster.     4     Note: The times listed on the schedules are departure times, not arrival times.

Have fun.     5     Read a book, knit, do a crossword puzzle, or simply watch the world unfold outside the window. To calculate your speed as you do, divide 3,600(the number of seconds in an hour)by the number of seconds it takes you to travel one mile(the distance between two mileposts). If it takes the train 53 seconds to travel one mile, you’re going 67.92 mph.

A．Train trips aren’t for impatient types.

B．You’ll have views from both sides of the train.

C．The temperature on rail cars is often hard to control.

D．That’s particularly true during busy summer months.

E．You might have to wait longer than 24 hours to catch the next one.

F．Chances are the cost will be a lot less than the cost of one bedroom.

G．He may also book you in a sleeping car that’s right next to the diner.

5 . “Dad, I need your help. Come here!” My 5­-year­-old girl pulled me towards the computer. “Dad, please buy everything I have in the Amazon shopping cart (购物车). Here, take this cash from my savings!” The shopping cart showed ten items for a total of about 130 dollars. “Wait!” I replied.“That’s too much money! Why do you need all these things?”“Please, Dad! These items will get here before Christmas. I have a surprise for everyone. No peeking(偷看)!” she explained, and I bought everything.

A couple of days later, she got everything. I saw her then wrapping (包装) all her gifts. “Can I help you?” I asked.“No, Dad. I told you these are special surprises. No peeking!” she replied. Her excitement was obvious.

The day came. She was all around her gifts, planning, protecting, arranging. Everything had to be perfect. As soon as dinner was over, she jumped from her chair and took her gifts. She went around giving each one of us her piece of love. These were small items, but it was the meaning of giving her heart that we were really feeling. As she gave the gift to each person, she watched the expression on our faces. Our smiles were her greatest reward. Her last gift was for my 2-­year-­old boy—a toy car. It was hard to describe my little boy’s delight at getting this gift! For several minutes, everyone’s attention was focused on watching him go all around the house happily.

Seeing these acts of my 5­-year­-old helped me understand the power of giving—giving from the heart. Later that day, my girl received some gifts, but she didn’t need them. She focused on others, not on herself. It was clear that she was the one feeling true joy.

1. Why did the girl ask her father for help?

A．She didn’t have enough money.

B．She needed him to keep the secret.

C．She wanted to get his opinions on gifts.

D．She couldn’t make the online payment.

2. How did the girl feel when wrapping the gifts?

A．She felt proud.

B．She felt delighted.

C．She felt cautious.

D．She felt satisfied.

3. What did other family members think of the girl’s acts?

A．Pleasant.	B．Creative.
C．Reasonable.	D．Surprising.

4. What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?

A．To praise his daughter for her generosity.

B．To share his experience of raising his kids.

C．To discuss how to find happiness in daily life.

D．To share the lesson learned from his daughter.

6 . Lao She wrote Teahouse in 1957. The play shows the audience life in China between 1898 and 1945. It takes place in a teahouse in old Beijing and it tells us the story of Wang Lifa and his customers. It asks us to see the teahouse as the centre of the neighborhood. Finally, it says goodbye to old Beijing and its people.

The story starts in 1898 during the Qing Dynasty. It continues in 1916, and finally, it brings the audience to the end of the Anti-Japanese War in 1945. After the war, Wang loses the teahouse and he dies.

Lao She was born in Beijing in 1899. His parents sent him to the Teahouse’s School in Beijing and he learned to teach. Form 1924 to 1929 he taught Chinese to the English in London. He wrote many plays, novels and short stories. He was named a “People’s Artist” and a “Great Master of Language”. He was one of the greatest Chinese writers of the 20th century.

In Lao She’s Teahouse today, waiters bring tea to the customers and sell them delicious Chinese food. If you like Beijing Opera, folk music, acrobatics or magic shows, you can enjoy them in the teahouse. Lao She’s Teahouse gives a wonderful welcome to everyone from China and from all over the world.

1. How many years of life in China is shown in the play Teahouse?

A．47 years.

B．45 years.

C．98 years.

D．57 years.

2. When does Wang Lifa lose the Teahouse?

A．Before 1945.

B．In 1916.

C．In 1898.

D．After 1945.

3. Lao She was all of the following except ________.

A．a Great Master of Language

B．a people’s Artist

C．a boss of Teahouse

D．one of the greatest Chinese writers of the 20th century

4. Who were welcome to Lao She’s Teahouse today?

A．Only Beijing opera audience.	B．Only foreign customers.
C．Every customer from home and abroad.	D．Only Chinese customers.

7 . Gold Coast Suns VS. North Melbourne

Venue: Metricon Stadium

Date and time: Sunday, 30 August, 2021, 6:10 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Gates open: 5 p.m.

Important information

Nerang Station shuttles will operate for this game. Make sure you don’t miss the opening bounce at 6:10 p.m. Plan your journey and arrive well before the match starts.

Scheduled services

Use the journey planner to find out which scheduled bus and train services travel to and from Metricon Stadium. Check for current and upcoming service changes.

Metricon Stadium is close to Nerang station, and bus stops on Nerang-Broadbeach Road and Birmingham Road (approximately 470 metres away).

Major track closure — Northern lines Saturday 29 & Sunday 30 August

Timetabled rail buses will operate, but please allow extra time when heading to the game.

Additional services

Trains

No additional trains will operate for this event.

Buses

No additional buses will operate for this event.

Boowaggan Road and Broadbeach South station shuttles will not operate for this event.

Ticket and fare information

Free travel with Surfside Buslines and Queensland Rail.

If you have a pre-purchased game ticket or Suns membership card, you can travel free to and from the game on all regular Queensland Rail City Network trains and Surfside Buslines services.

Free travel begins 4 hours before and concludes 4 hours after the event ends.

Event information

Visit the Metricon Stadium website or call 5510 6000 for more information.

1. When will the stadium open?

A．At 6:10 p.m.

B．At 8:30 p.m.

C．At 5:00 p.m.

D．At 8:10 a.m.

2. Which transport means can you take for free?

A．Rail buses.

B．Trains.

C．Shuttles.

D．Queensland Rail.

3. Who is this passage written for?

A．Businessmen.

B．Audiences.

C．Passengers.

D．Tourists.

8 . There’s no denying that learning a foreign language is difficult, and when it comes to speaking the language, it can be extremely tough. I remember walking into my first-ever Spanish class at university only to discover that half of my classmates were already fluent in multiple languages. It’s safe to say I felt out of my depth!

At first the thought of speaking Spanish terrified me; not only were my vocabulary and grammar very limited, but I had never spoken another language before. However, I was determined to overcome my fear, and by adopting a few simple methods I have been able to build my confidence and make progress. In fact, it was not as terrible as I thought. Here, I think I will share a few tips with you.

Firstly, it is OK to make mistakes for language learners and that you should accept them. This sounds obvious, but when it comes to language learning we often aim for perfection and feel as though we are not ready to speak until we have "enough" words or grammatical knowledge. The truth is you will never feel ready, and instead it is important to use the knowledge to communicate what you can.

This leads on to my next tip: don’t compare yourself to others. This can be a hard one, especially if you are in a large language class. It is important to remember that we all learn at different speeds and through different styles of learning. Something that really helped me progress was finding a patient language exchange partner. Finding someone whose level of English was similar to my level of Spanish to practice with made me feel much more confident.

Lastly, celebrate the small success and remember how far you have come! Instead of focusing on how far you have to go, focus on the progress you have already made and be proud of your achievements!

1. What does the underlined part suggest in the passage?

A．The author took great pride in his classmates.

B．The author wanted to leave university immediately.

C．The author failed to join in his classmates’ conversation.

D．The author was unable to speak many languages.

2. What is the common barrier for language learners?

A．They fail to have a good command of grammar.

B．They have a lack of courage to speak the language

C．They can’t use the language in right situations.

D．They can’t help comparing themselves to others.

3. What’s the best way to learn Spanish in the author’s opinion?

A．Find a partner whose Spanish is excellent.

B．Set long-term goals to improve enthusiasm.

C．Learn from an example and pick out weak points.

D．Choose a language exchange partner at the same level.

4. What does the author want to tell in the passage?

A．Mastering Spanish is a chance in a million.

B．Learning new languages is not so hard.

C．Confidence is the key to speaking a language.

D．Don’t ignore what you have achieved in learning.

9 . Technology makes our life easier than what we can imagine. Now we don' t need to leave our homes to purchase something because everything is reachable and can be easily found in front of us through a few clicks. Here's a quick glance at the best online shopping sites in the world to make it easier for you to find the best items you need.

Amazon

It is the most popular as the biggest online shopping store in the USA and the whole world. It was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, United States as an online bookstore and quickly diversified to offer everything you need. It provides its customers with several features such as discounts, fast delivery and a wide range of items at good prices.

eBay

It is one of the most popular online auction and shopping websites that can be found in the whole world. It was founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar and is headquartered in California, United States. It helps you to buy and sell different products, which makes this site beneficial for both buyers and sellers.

ASOS

Founded in 2000 by Nick Robertson, Asos is one of the biggest online shopping UK that specializes in presenting everything related to beauty and fashion including men’s and women’s wear. It helps you to narrow your search through making use of trends an collection features in addition to the ability to buy and sell pre-owned clothes through the online marketplace that is presented to you.

Mr. Porter

It is an online retailer that was launched in 2011 in London and specializes in offering what is related to men's style including shoes, clothes and accessories to make you a stylish man. You can find products for major designers such as Alexander McQueen and Ray Ban.

1. Which of the following shopping sites has the longest history?

A．Amazon	B．eBay
C．Asos	D．Mr. Porter

2. What is special about eBay?

A．It sells products related to beauty and fashion.

B．It offers customers delivery for free in the USA.

C．It provides a platform for you to sell your goods.

D．It's the biggest online shopping store worldwide.

3. Who works as a designer for men's style?

A．Jeff Bezos.	B．Pierre Omidyar.
C．Nick Robertson.	D．Ray Ban.

10 . Smiling is a global smart language. Everybody smiles in the same language. We smile when we feel good.     1    There's a bidirectional effect between smiling and feeling positive: Both can be reason and effect of the other one.

The act of smiling is connected with neurotransmitters related to pleasure sensations and psychological tensions, as well as with certain stress hormones.     2     When we smile, even when we force it, our body releases the “feel good” hormones, which will put us in a much better mood and relieve our stress. Meanwhile, our creativity and self-confidence increase, leading us towards the right mental balance we need.

    3     Plentiful evidence shows that smiling can help boost the immune system by decreasing stress levels, which in turn increases white blood cell count and releases beneficial antibodies that help fight infection and disease. Besides, smiling can even reduce our heart rate after a stressful situation.

But positive effects of smiling aren't limited to our own mental and physical well-being: Our smile goes beyond us having a positive effect on the people around. Research suggests that happy people influence the people closest to them and provide a boost of good energy.     4     When others see us smiling, chances are that we'll find them smiling as well. The more we smile, the more we'll receive smiles back.

Attractive smiles suggest confidence, capability and authority, and these feelings can motivate others. A smile is the prettiest thing we can wear.     5     When we smile, life smiles as well.

A．Smiling can even improve our physical health.

B．That's why life isn't always full of reasons to smile.

C．Smiling may be the most effective and cheapest anti-stress.

D．And we can create well-being feelings just by raising a smile.

E．Smiling is one of the most infectious expressions of emotion.

F．Never let negative emotions prevent you bonding with others.

G．So we should smile more and then benefit ourselves and others.