1 . My son just turned 14 and does not have a smartphone. When he graduated from Grade 8, he was the only kid in his class without one. He asks for a phone now that he’s going to high school. I say no, he asks why, I explain(yet again), and he pushes back.

“You can choose to do things differently when you’re a parent,” I told him. But sometimes, I wonder if I’m being too stubborn or unfair.

The more I research, the more confident I feel in my decision. Many studies link the current mental health crisis among adolescents to fundamental changes in how they socialize, namely, the shift from in-person to online interaction.

But other parents challenge my perspective. “He must feel so left out!” Then there are the parents who tell me with profound sadness that they wish they had delayed their teenager’s phone ownership longer than they did. They urge me to hold out.

If teenagers between the ages of 13 and 18 are truly spending an average of 8 hours 39 minutes per day on their devices, as stated in a 2021 survey conducted by the non-profit research organization Common Sense Media, then what are they not doing? Kids absorbed in their devices are missing out on real life, and that strikes me as really sad.

I want my son to have a childhood he feels satisfied with and proud of. I want it to be full of adventures, imaginative play and physical challenges which he must sort out himself—and emerge stronger—without asking for me at the push of a button.

The easiest and simplest way to achieve these goals is to delay giving him a smartphone.

Some think my son is missing out or falling behind, but he is not. He does well in school and extracurricular activities, hangs out with his friends in person, and moves independently around our small town. He swears (发誓) he’ll give his own 14-year-old a phone someday, and I tell him that’s fine. But recently, he admitted that he missed the beautiful scenery on a drive to a nearby mountain because he had been so absorbed in his friend’s iPad.

If that is his version of admitting I’m right, I’ll take it.

1. What is the author’s primary concern regarding giving her son a smartphone?

A．Her son’s social life.	B．Her son’s well-being.
C．Her son’s time management.	D．Her son’s academic performance.

2. What is the main point the author intends to express in paragraph 5?

A．Her doubts about the reliability of a teenage survey.

B．The rise of smartphone addiction among teenagers.

C．The potential negative effects of excessive phone usage.

D．The factors contributing to teenage smartphone addiction.

3. What quality does the text suggest the author wants her son to develop in his childhood?

A．Team spirit	B．Leadership
C．Self-reliance	D．Critical thinking

4. What can be inferred about the author’s son?

A．He is struggling academically.

B．He no longer desires a smartphone.

C．He is easily influenced by his friends.

D．He has realized the drawbacks of excessive screen time.

2 . 语法填空

When you make a mistake, the last thing     1     you want to do is run away from it. You need to accept it because you can learn a lot from it. The mistake     2    (make)already, so make the most of it.     3    (pay)the price, learn the lesson, and grow that much stronger.

3 . 语法填空

Shakespeare’s birthplace was the childhood home of William Shakespeare. The house has been exactly furnished, and includes both original and copy items similar to those which would have been there in the house     1     Shakespeare was a child. Beautifully painted cloths hang on the walls, and brightly colored fabrics (织物) fill the rooms. At the back of the house is a beautiful garden     2    (contain) many trees, herbs and flowers     3    (mention) in Shakespeare’s plays.

4 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适与当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Studies show that laughter     1     (produce) chemicals to make people feel better, which means clown doctors can be helpful. We are specially     2     (train) clowns. I chose this career because of my experience of going to hospital when I     3     (be) a kid. Although the doctors and nurses did a great job, hospitals weren’t really designed     4     children. I spent much of the time when I was there feeling frightened and more than a little bored! Being a clown doctor means I can help people by entertaining them.

5 . 阅读下列短文，根据短文内容填空。在未给提示词的空白处仅填写1个适与当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Technology isn’t the only way     1     (forecast) the weather. Nature has its ways, too. Unusual animal behaviour, for example, can indicate whether it’s cold, wet weather that’s on the way or a hot, dry period. If fish are jumping     2     (high) than usual or frogs are croaking more loudly, it may rain. And next time you look up at the sky, don’t just look for rain clouds, but also for     3     (bird). If they are flying low, grab your umbrella.

6 . 语法填空

Clarence Birdseye had the chance to go on a trip to the Arctic,     1     people caught fish and then put the fish in a container office     2    (freeze) it quickly. When people cooked the fish later, it was still good! This gave Birdseye     3     idea.

He thought people could also have this kind of food at home. In 1926, Birdseye invented frozen food. People were able to store food in     4    (freezer) for a long time.

7 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。请在答题卡指定区域作答。

Habit formation is the process by which behaviours become automatic. People develop countless habits as they explore the world, whether they are aware of them or not. Understanding how habits take shape may be helpful in changing bad habits.

Habits are built through learning and repetition. A person is thought to develop a habit in the course of pursuing goals by beginning to associate certain cues(刺激) with behavioural responses that help meet the goal. Over time, thoughts of the behaviour and ultimately the behaviour itself are likely to be triggered(触发) by these cues.

A “habit loop(环)” is a way of describing several related elements that produce habits. These elements are called the cue, the routine, and the reward. For example, stress could serve as a cue that one responds to by eating, which produces the reward﹣the reduction of stress. While a routine involves repeated behaviour, it’s not necessarily performed in response to a deep﹣rooted urge, as a habit is.

Old habits can be difficult to shake, and healthy habits are often harder to develop. But through repetition, it’s possible to form new habits. The amount of time needed to build a habit will depend on multiple factors, including the individual and the intended behaviour. While you are able to pickup a new habit in a few weeks, it takes many months to build a healthy habit. Take some time to think about what leads to bad habits and re﹣evaluate what you get out of them (or don’t). Consider and keep in mind why you want to make a change, including how the change reflects your values.

1. How are habits built?
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2. In what way is a routine different from a habit?
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3. Please decide which part is false in the following statement, then underline it and explain why.
Picking up a new habit takes a few week, while building a healthy habit takes a shorter time.
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4. What benefit(s) have you got from one of your good habits?(In about 40 words)
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8 . You probably already know what self-regulation is, even if you are not aware of the term.     1    

Self-regulation refers to the ability to control your behavior and manage your thoughts and emotions in appropriate ways. It involves being aware of your behavior and how it helps you reach your goals.     2     The Cambridge dictionary defines it as “The ability to make yourself do things you know you should do even when you do not want to”. The American Psychological Association defines it as “the control of one’s behavior through self-monitoring, self-evaluation, and self-reinforcement.”

Self-regulation is very important because it can help us deal with stress. We all know that sometimes stress is bad for our health, which can cause mood swings and difficulty concentrating.     3     For example, if a person is upset, sad, or angry, self-regulation helps him regulate his feelings and then behave in an acceptable and productive way.

In addition, self-regulation can also help people handle conflict and strengthen relationships and overall well-being. It can help people calm down after something annoying has happened and refocus their attention on other tasks.     4     People with good self-regulation skills are able to assess whether their behavior is appropriate and can redirect themselves as needed.

    5     So we can try different approaches to find the proper one. You may be able to keep stress under control by using stress management techniques such as deep breathing, exercise, and getting enough sleep.

Self-regulation is an essential skill for physical, social, emotional and mental well-being. It does not always come easily to people, but there are techniques that can help you develop and strengthen your self-regulation.

A．There are different definitions of self-regulation.

B．Take time each day to make new plans for tomorrow.

C．In fact, like many coping skills, self-regulation can be improved.

D．It takes firm determination and a strong mind to develop a new habit.

E．Then try to behave properly and adjust to getting along with other people.

F．It is essential to learn more about self-regulation and understand how to strengthen it.

G．But self-regulation can help people handle emotions like frustration or disappointment.

9 . Have you ever seen a kid in class who wouldn’t volunteer to read or answer a question? I was that type of student. Talking in class was a struggle for me because the fear of saying the wrong thing was always on my mind.

There were constant announcements about students in our class winning writing awards. It was a dream for me. I have always felt unsure of myself when writing. Semicolons confused me and I used too many commas. I had no idea how to cite anything. During my freshman year, the teacher would pick the best essay in our class to be read out loud, but mine was never chosen. I found it really hard to write an essay.

One teacher Mr. Wilson, who taught me the next semester, changed everything. He was in his fifties and had a reputation for having a particular teaching style. He connected writing and reading to football, but somehow it made sense. What really made him special to me was that every class he would pick someone to read their writing out loud to the class.

In one of his lessons, he said: “I will not always pick the essay that I think has the best grammar or use of vocabulary. I will pick the one that I think has the most character.” This part was confusing tome because how can writing have character? He went on to explain: “I want to read something that I can tell the writer feel a lot while writing it. I want to feel the emotions you were going through as you wrote it.”

A few weeks later, for the first time, my essay was chosen to be read to my classmates. I can’t even remember what it was about, but I remember how nervous I was to see his reaction, mixed with pride at the fact that he felt like my work was worth sharing. He gave me his comments at the end of it, but I was too nervous to remember them. After class, he told me he was excited to read more of my work.

He made me feel special in the way he led the class, and I got over my fear of sharing my work in class. He made me believe in my writing abilities and gave me the confidence to continue writing.

1. Talking in class used to be difficult for the author because __________.

A．he had never won any awards for speaking	B．he didn’t know how to answer questions
C．he had no idea how to cite anything	D．he was afraid of making mistakes

2. According to the author, what made Mr. Wilson different from other teachers?

A．His style of teaching.	B．His love for students.
C．His interest in writing.	D．His passion for football.

3. From the passage, we can know that __________.

A．Mr. Wilson preferred essays with good use of vocabulary

B．the author remembered Mr. Wilson’s comments very well

C．Mr. Wilson thought the author’s passage was full of emotions

D．the author believed that his essay was worth sharing in the class

4. Which of the following words can best describe Mr. Wilson?

A．Kind and ambitious.	B．Honest and confident.
C．Creative and inspiring.	D．Reliable and generous.

10 . 阅读下面短文，根据题目要求用英文回答问题。请在答题卡指定区域作答。

Last year, I baked biscuits for complete strangers to say “thank you”. I’d had to call 999 because I found my husband unconscious on the floor. Within minutes, a police car arrived and soon my husband received medical care in hospital.

A week later, when I dropped off still-warm biscuits and presented a thank-you note at the police station, the policemen thanked me for delivering gifts.

I drove away feeling light and happy. Later, I realized that my natural high might have been more than it seemed.Research has shown that sharing gratitude has positive effects on health. People who express gratitude will increase their happiness levels, lower their blood pressure and get better sleep.

What about people who receive gratitude?Research has confirmed that when people receive thanks, they experience positive emotions.“Those are happy surprises,”says Jo-Ann Tsang, a professor of psychology. When someone is thanked,he’s more likely to return the favor or pass kindness on, and his chances of being helpful again doubles, probably because he enjoys feeling socially valued.

The give-and-take of gratitude also deepens relationships. Studies show that when your loved ones regularly express gratitude,making you feel appreciated,you’re more likely to return appreciative feelings, which leads to more satisfactory in your relationships.

Nowadays,however,many people don’t express gratitude. Our modern lifestyle may be to blame. With commercial and social media, everything is speeding the younger generation to feel they’re the center of the world. If it’s all about them, why thank others?

Why not thank others? Just take a look at how many positive effects can saying “thank you”have on personal health—and the well-being of others.

If you aren’t particularly grateful, I strongly suggest you learn to be.People who are instructed to keep gratitude journals,in which they write down positive things that happen to them,cultivate gratitude over time.

1. What health benefits can people gain from expressing gratitude?
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2. How do people probably respond when they receive gratitude and feel socially valued?
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3. Please decide which part of the following statement is false, then underline it and explain why.
▷ Saying “thank-you”improves relationships,but nowadays some young people don’t want to do it because everything is making them feel blamed by the whole society.
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4. If possible, who would you like to express gratitude to most? Why? (In about 40 words)
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