1 . J. K. Rowling frequently shows there is magic every day. Her Harry Potter series has helped people through times of stress and depression and she is always there to deliver wise words of encouragement.
She is one celebrity who is very active on Twitter. So when a single dad named Matt Burke sent her a message thanking her for the series, she noticed. Her series had helped strengthen his relationship with his 9yearold daughter Bailey.
He included a link to his article titled Being a Broke Parent. He explained how he hadn’t found a level of financial stability that allowed him to pay bills on time and take his daughter on more activities and events. The family also doesn’t have the Internet or TV, which means there’s no “digital babysitter” and he has to rely on his own creative ways to bond with his daughter. Since he received the series, the main thing that has occupied them these days is reading books together.
Burke admits that he thought he was “too cool” for the books when they first came out and he was in his twenties, but he’s loving reading them now. “We switch off chapter by chapter reading them out loud,“Burke explains.” This not only allows her to get more used to reading aloud in front of someone, but it gets me directly involved in something she loves, and it gives me the chance to be very dramatic when I read my chapters and bring myself into the characters in the book, which has proven to be a ton of fun.”
After hearing Burke’s story, Rowling said how honored she was when Harry Potter was a part of his family’s life and offered Burke more books. Besides, people are also offering to send Burke more books as gifts. For Burke, this experience, far more than gifts, will be what he treasures.
1. Why did Burke thank J. K. Rowling according to the text?A.She guided him how to write a good story. |
B.She encouraged him when he was in trouble. |
C.Her books helped him through times of confusion. |
D.Her books helped him improve his bond with his daughter. |
A.He has found it interesting to read the series. | B.He was too old to understand the series better. |
C.He has chosen a better way of reading the series. | D.He hopes to play a role in the drama in the future. |
A.Useless. | B.Normal. | C.Valuable. | D.Boring. |
A.J. K. Rowling chooses to help improve kids’ health. |
B.J. K. Rowling gives a magical gift to a single father. |
C.J. K. Rowling has a deep influence on others’ growth. |
D.Burke comes to know J. K. Rowling through her series. |
Last Saturday, David was taking a walk in the park near his home when he noticed a woman with a boy of about eight years old. When David passed them, he heard the woman yell. “How stupid you are! You’re good at nothing.” David stopped and looked at the little boy. The boy said nothing. He just stood there, looking upset.
David was reminded of his English teacher Mrs Brown in middle school. After he entered a middle school, David lacked self-confidence because he was often made fun of by others. He was often told that he was good at nothing, which David behaved. But one day it all changed.
One day, in an English writing class, Mrs Brown asked them to read a novel. They were asked to write a new chapter of the novel after they finished reading it. A few days later, David handed in his story. He didn’t give it much thought. But the next day, to his surprise, the comment “well done” from Mrs Brown came into view the moment he turned to the page where the story was written. When David read that, he almost burst into tears. He never expected to be praised one day. He suddenly gained some self-confidence.
That day after he returned home, he wrote a short story and gave it to Mrs Brown the next morning. And again he was praised. David became very interested in writing. He often wrote short stories and asked Mrs Brown to read them improve writing skills. One year later, David joined the school newspaper and became an editor of it. He was no longer that boy who lacked self-confidence. He gained his confidence, and was hopeful about his future.
He succeeded in entering a college and kept writing. Several years after graduating from college, he had his first book published. With some more books coming out, he became famous as a writer in his country. And he owed his success to Mrs Brown’s encouragement. Without her encouragement, his life might be very different now.
注意:1. 续写词数应为150左右;
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Inspired by his own life story, David decided to do something for that boy.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________The mother was ashamed when she heard that.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . Are you happy with your appearance?
“Almost all the girls with single-fold eyelids (单眼皮) in our class have had double eyelid operations,” Zeng, a Senior 2 student from Chengdu, told Xinhua. Zeng had the same surgery done this summer.
From popular photo-editing apps to plastic surgery (整形手术), it seems that large eyes, pale skin and a skinny body are the only standard for beauty these days. But can following this standard really make us feel good about ourselves?
“Many teenagers are upset about their appearance because they believe in unrealistic standards of beauty,” experts say.
However, trying to live up to strict standards can make us feel anxious. What troubles us is not just our “imperfect” looks, but the fact that we criticize ourselves too much.
A.Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. |
B.Body image anxiety is common among teenagers. |
C.Guys care just as much as girls do about their body image. |
D.Some teenagers might feel negative about their appearance. |
E.It’s common for teenagers to feel confident about their appearance. |
F.She and many of her classmates believe bigger eyes look more beautiful. |
G.Perfect faces and bodies are everywhere in advertising, TV shows and social media. |
Jenny was the only child in her family. She had a quarrel (吵架) with her mother that afternoon and she ran out of the house angrily. She couldn’t help weeping sorrowfully when she thought of the scolding from her mother. Having wandered aimlessly in the street for hours, she felt a little hungry and wished for something to eat. She stood beside a stand (货摊) for a while, watching the middle-aged seller busy doing his business. However, with no money in hand, she gave a sigh and had to leave.
The seller behind the stand noticed the young girl and asked, “Hey, girl, you want to have the noodles?”
“Oh, yes, but I don’t have money on me.” she replied.
“That’s nothing. I’ll treat you today,” said the man, “Come in.”
The seller brought her a bowl of noodles, whose smell was so attractive. As she was eating, Jenny cried silently.
“What is it?” asked the man kindly.
“Nothing. Actually, I was just touched by your kindness!” said Jenny as she wiped her tears. “Even a stranger on the street will give me a bowl of noodles, while my mother drove me out of the house. She showed no care for me. She is so merciless compared to a stranger!”
Hearing the words, the seller smiled, “Girl, do you really think so? I only gave you a bowl of noodles and you thanked me a lot. But it is your mother who has raised you since you were a baby. Can you remember the times she cooked for you? Have you expressed your gratitude to her?”
Jenny sat there, speechless and numb with shock: she remembered her mother’s familiar face and weathered hands. “Why didn’t I think of that? A bowl of noodles from a stranger made me feel grateful. Why haven’t I thanked my mum for what she has done for me?”
On the way home. Jenny made up her mind to make an apology to her mother for her rudeness as soon as she arrived home.
注意:1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右;
2. 续写部分分为两段,每段的开头语已为你写好。
Nearing the doorway, Jenny took a deep breath.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________At that time, her mother came back and touched her hair gently, which called her mind back.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________A.Weekly. | B.Monthly. | C.Yearly. |
8 . If you can potty-train (如厕训练) a child, so can you train a cow. At least, that was the theory a group of researchers in Germany decided to test, aiming to find a solution to the environmental damage caused by animal waste.
Farmed cattle produce about 66-88 pounds of waste and 8 gallons of urin (尿液) each day and are free to relieve themselves where they please. However, the spread of their waste into the soil can have negative effects on the environment.
The main question for Langbein, an animal psychologist at the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) in Germany, and his team was: “Why shouldn’t cattle be able to learn how to use a toilet? Animals are quite clever, and they can learn a lot.” Langbein said in a statement.
The team of scientists from FBN and FLI in Germany and the University of Auckland in New Zealand began to train the calves to use toilets, in a process they called “MooLoo training”. In the first stage of training, the cattle were put in a closed toilet. And whenever they urinated, they were given a reward of barley (大麦). “Once they were allowed outside, the calves would go in the toilet to get their reward, but they soon learned that there’s only a reward if they urinate.” FBN’s Neele Dirksen, first author of the study, told CNN.
To encourage calves to use the toilets, researchers also came up with a punishment. “We first used in-ear headphones and we played a very noisy sound whenever they urinated outside,” said Langbein. “We thought this would punish the animals, but they didn’t care. Eventually, a splash of water worked well as a gentle punishment.”
The calves were trained for 45 minutes every other day. And after 10 training days, the team had managed to train 11 out of the 16 calves involved in the experiment. The study shows that it is possible to train calves to use toilets, and Langbein said he hoped that “in a few years all cows will go to a toilet.”
1. What is the main purpose of “MooLoo training”?A.Reducing the amount of cattle’s waste. |
B.Teaching cattle to use toilets where they please. |
C.Preventing the cattle’s waste spreading into the soil. |
D.Protecting the environment from being polluted by animal waste. |
A.Offering barley. | B.Giving water splash. |
C.Playing noisy sound. | D.Wearing in-ear headphones. |
A.Useless. | B.Doubtful. | C.Effective. | D.Cruel. |
A.Cattle are clever enough to use toilets | B.Cattle’s waste harms the environment |
C.Scientists adopt new methods to raise cattle | D.MooLoo training helps improve the environment |
1. When did the man come back?
A.Four years ago. | B.Four months ago. | C.Four days ago. |
A.To get a good job. | B.To accompany his family. | C.To run his own business. |
A.A soldier. | B.A teacher. | C.A clerk. |
A.Co-workers. | B.Teacher and parent. | C.Former classmates. |
10 . 听下面一段较长对话,回答以下小题。
1. Which family holiday does the man recommend?A.The one on the 18th. | B.The one on the 19th. | C.The one on the 20th. |
A.France. | B.Spain. | C.Greece. |
A.It is a five-star hotel. | B.It has its own beach. | C.It has a swimming pool. |