1 . My car suddenly broke down on a highway when going to a wedding with my daughter.

People shouted _______ at me and flashed their lights as they _______ away.

You cannot believe how _______ it is on the highway flowing at 120 km. When you’re _______ , you are a part of the flow and you don’t feel the speed. When you _______ , you suddenly realize how dangerous you are. As a 16-wheel truck _______ my car’s back window, I found the truck stopped in order not to _______ me. Cars piled up behind me and tried to miss one another and _______ hitting me. We felt terribly _______ for them.

I called Discovery Insure to assist. When we were waiting, I saw the truck ________ behind us and a man ran up quickly. I said I couldn’t pay him and my insurance service was on the way. He said, “I don’t want money. Someone will probably hit you. You aren’t ________ here.” Then I knew his name, Godfrey.

Godfrey placed a warning ________ behind my car. He took us to his truck, ________ to pull my car onto his truck, and drove us to safety. I was ________ , saying he was so kind, and the world needs more people like him. Godfrey waited until Discovery Insure came. Knowing we were OK, Godfrey drove off as ________ as he appeared! He was gone, but I will never forget his kindness!

1.

A．curiously

B．patiently

C．angrily

D．proudly

2.

A．passed

B．sped

C．walked

D．ran

3.

A．slow

B．terrible

C．interesting

D．comfortable

4.

A．driving

B．sleeping

C．reading

D．planning

5.

A．leave

B．jump

C．speak

D．stop

6.

A．broke

B．destroyed

C．beat

D．filled

7.

A．send

B．hide

C．meet

D．hit

8.

A．enjoy

B．forget

C．avoid

D．consider

9.

A．good

B．sorry

C．brave

D．sad

10.

A．park

B．fly

C．rush

D．operate

11.

A．active

B．happy

C．safe

D．responsible

12.

A．sign

B．letter

C．topic

D．light

13.

A．hoped

B．managed

C．pretended

D．refused

14.

A．careful

B．strange

C．grateful

D．awkward

15.

A．quickly

B．soon

C．well

D．anxious

2 . In 2020, Daya Brown was just in her second year of high school and was taking classes online. So she didn’t have much to do and had_______time to research which universities and colleges she might like to attend after _______ from Westlake High School in Atlanta,Georgia._______ , she came up with a list of about 70 schools.

When it was time to _______college, she spent three hours a day over four months filling out applications. When her email box filled up with_______, she was very surprised. She was _______ by 54 of 70 schools. What’s more, she _______ more than $1.3 million in scholarship (奖学金).

“It was a great _______, because I put in a lot of hard work,” said Brown. She was then a senior at Westlake, where she was the Student Union president.

Brown finished high school on May 17,2021. She had another _______ before she went to Duke University. She wanted to tell other teens how she did it. Her ________ for students was to start early. They should focus on schools with top programs for what they want to ________ and apply for many scholarships, even small ones. “There are no shortcuts to doing the work, so spend time________what’s out there,“ she said.

“But most importantly,” she said, “students should ________colleges with a good idea of who they are.” For Brown, she ________ her poetry, her stage performances and her leadership, which________ her to create a production company and a podcast (播客) for teens.

1.

A．quality

B．formal

C．little

D．extra

2.

A．learning

B．returning

C．graduating

D．hearing

3.

A．Suddenly

B．Finally

C．Certainly

D．Naturally

4.

A．apply to

B．know about

C．call up

D．head for

5.

A．bills

B．offers

C．requirements

D．schedules

6.

A．challenged

B．refused

C．mistaken

D．accepted

7.

A．afforded

B．raised

C．needed

D．won

8.

A．suggestion

B．explanation

C．feeling

D．decision

9.

A．goal

B．choice

C．chance

D．training

10.

A．task

B．promise

C．advice

D．excuse

11.

A．quit

B．study

C．repeat

D．revise

12.

A．reporting

B．imagining

C．sharing

D．realizing

13.

A．support

B．connect

C．provide

D．fill

14.

A．centered on

B．broke up

C．dreamed of

D．looked through

15.

A．welcomed

B．led

C．forced

D．expected

3 . 在高中开始阶段，我很难处理一些新的挑战。
I had trouble _________new challenges at the beginning of senior high.

4 . 他们总是缺饮用水，更不用说洗澡水了。
They ________ always ________ ________ water to drink, much less to bathe in.

5 . 听说你们需要一些志愿者接待来访问我们学校的国外学生，我很高兴写信申请这份工作。
Learning that you are in need of some volunteers to meet the visiting foreign students, I’m gladly writing _________ this job.

6 . 这次活动一定会给每个观众留下深刻印象。
This activity will surely ________ ________ ________ ________ ________ every audience.

7 . The kitchen is not just where we prepare meals. In many places, the kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where we connect with our family and friends. We have open talks about our pleasures and problems we met during the day while we make dinner or have a bite to eat. So, it can be a very busy room in the house.

Sometimes you need order in the kitchen for things to run smoothly. And sometimes you need one person to be in charge. Imagine you are cooking dinner for your friends. As you are making the soup, your friend Sara tastes it and says, “This needs more salt.” So, she adds more salt. Harlan comes to taste your soup and throws some fresh black pepper into the pot and some dried herbs. Cecilia tastes the soup and pours in some vinegar. What will the soup be like?

You are happy to spend time with your friends. But, quite frankly, all their opinions about your soup are becoming annoying. Worst of all, you taste the soup and it’s awful! And that is where we get the expression “too many cooks spoil the soup”.

This expression describes an age-old problem: If too many people help to complete a task, it may not go very well. But, you may think, “If many people are trying to get something done, the task will get done faster.” After all, American English also has the expression “many hands make light work”.

To answer that point, I will draw your attention to the word “cook”. Now, the cook is the leader in the kitchen. They may have assistants to help them. But the cook has the final say. So, what if a kitchen has many cooks? Who is the leader? Everyone! And that’s where the trouble comes.

1. What does the author think of the kitchen according to the first paragraph?

A．It is crowded in many houses.	B．It is where we feed our body and soul.
C．It helps to brighten up people’s day.	D．It serves as the most useful place in a home.

2. Why does the author take “your friends” as an example?

A．To describe a common phenomenon (现象).

B．To vividly introduce a saying.

C．To explain a way to be a good cook.

D．To stress the importance of teamwork.

3. Which situation agrees with “too many cooks spoil the soup”?

A．A group of students get a task done together.

B．Some volunteers discuss how to help others.

C．Five designers want their own idea to be accepted.

D．Many retired workers learn how to be a cook.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．What Happens with Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen?

B．Should a Cook Be Open to Suggestions?

C．What Could a Cook Do to Everyone’s Satisfaction?

D．Why Will Too Many Cooks Work in the Kitchen?

8 . Stepping out of your comfort zone (区域) helps you to improve yourself and become a happy and fun person. You’ll experience greater enjoyment as you try out new experiences.     1    .

Unplug (拔掉插头)

Take a break from today's interconnected world.       2    .   You may feel a little uncomfortable at first, but you will know that is just part of the process to let you know better about yourself.

Go to another country

You will experience new cultures, different customs, unique landscapes and another language from travel.     3    . Additionally, the excitement of exploring different scenery and experiencing different cultures are lifelong treasure.

    4    

Try diving, skydiving or a roller coaster ride. If those are too frightening, try giving a speech or taking a dance class. Once you overcome your inner fear, you will have a sense of satisfaction that comes from overcoming it.

Talk with someone new

This doesn’t have to be a complete stranger. Start a conversation with someone new at work, the barista (咖啡师) in your local coffee shop, a neighbour or someone in the queue.     5    . By focusing on other people rather than your own internal thoughts, you can improve your own mental health.

A．Do something that is fearful for you

B．Become uncomfortable with the Internet

C．You can end your conversation with your friends anytime

D．Leave your phone at home, turn off the TV and the Internet

E．Here are some ways that can probably lead you to a new life

F．See if you can continue the conversation for 30 seconds or longer

G．Besides, using cash from different countries is also good for your brain

9 . Everyone tries their best in life, and sometimes a few kind words of encouragement can help people realize that their efforts are not in vain (徒劳).Ⅰ remember a time when I was in fifth grade, and I was a very shy girl.

There was a drawing competition at my school that day. As everyone started to use their creative ideas to draw, I was only trying to think of something creative that could express my thoughts and emotions. Lost in my own world, I was brought back to reality when my art teacher called my name from behind. She came to me and encouraged me, saying, “Don’t overthink it, just put whatever comes to your mind on the canvas (画布). Do your best, and you will do well.”

Taking her words of wisdom to heart, I started my painting. Time flew by, and soon the bell rang, signaling the end of the time limit. We all turned in our canvases for inspection (检查). The next day, the winners of the competition were announced in front of the whole school. To my surprise, I heard my name being called second prize. It was a bolt from the blue for me, as I had never dared to dream of winning any prize.

Later on, I expressed my gratitude to my art teacher for her words of encouragement and for believing in me. That day, I became aware of my talent and started painting more whenever I had free time. Sometimes, I think that if it weren’t for her words of encouragement, I may have never discovered the talent I have.

Overall, this experience taught me the importance of encouraging others and how a few kind words can make a significant impact on someone’s life.

1. What was the author doing when called by the art teacher?

A．Organizing a drawing competition.	B．Trying to get some creative ideas.
C．Painting her work on her canvas.	D．Trying to get help from others.

2. What did the author think of the competition?

A．Easy.

B．Interesting.

C．Challenging.

D．Encouraging.

3. What do the underlined words “bolt from the blue” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Addiction.

B．Puzzlement.

C．Disappointment.

D．Surprise.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．The Power of Encouragement

B．The Importance of Art Competitions

C．Overcoming Shyness Through Painting

D．Discovering Your Great Natural Ability

10 . Listed below are some nice family-friendly museums in Chicago, pick one that interests your kids most and take your little ones there to have fun.

Shedd Aquarium (水族馆)

It was open to the public on May 30th, 1930. Visitors with limited movement can use easy slopes (斜坡) to reach the exhibits, which are also explained to children through an app.Families can spend the night in the aquarium during the special event called Asleep with the Fishes.

Elmhurst History Museum

It’s a museum about history that has won awards and was created in 1957. It shows different exhibits about many history-related subjects, has a fun interactive exhibit about its own history, and offers various public programs, tours of exhibits, and special events for the community. The museum is a fantastic place for families to visit for a day or two, and it even has places for picnics and holiday train journeys.

Chicago Children’s Museum

Founded in 1982, the museum displays impressive exhibits for children, featuring dinosaur bones, a play area only for babies and a famous and fun climbing area for children.Moreover, the museum offers various exhibitions and daily art classes for children, which are free of charge. Visiting the museum on the weekend is a good choice for economical family amusement.

Field Museum of Natural History

With millions of things in its store, it was established in 1893. Disco ver more than 4billion years of life on Earth through interesting displays and interactive events, and discover protection campaigns worldwide.   It is now considered as famous as the Smithsonian Institution, established in 1846 in Washington, and the American Museum of Natural History, which originated in 1869 in New York.

1. What is special about the Shedd Aquarium for family visitors?

A．They can go on a picnic there.

B．They can sleep overnight there.

C．They can surf the Internet.

D．They can learn the history of Chicago.

2. What can kids do at the Chicago Children’s Museum?

A．Have discounts on holidays.	B．Watch dolphins’ exhibitions.
C．Take a fun climb.	D．Take free art classes on an app.

3. Which of the following has the longest history?

A．Shedd Aquarium.	B．ElmhurstHistoryMuseum.
C．Chicago Children’s Museum.	D．Field Museum of Natural History.