1 . Bournemouth in Dorset has always been my favourite seaside town. When I was growing up, Mum and Dad didn’t have much money, but they’d saved enough for a few days in Bournemouth. I was four years old at the time. I don’t actually remember much about the trip, apart from being devastated when we had to leave. Mum said I fell in love with the place and insisted on waving goodbye to the sea when it was time to go. So I grew up believing Bournemouth was a wonderful place.
Forty years on, my wife and I returned for a week’s break. I was nervous, wondering if I’d be able to bring back that delight I’d felt as a child. I needn’t have worried. We had a fantastic time. It helped that the British weather had decided to provide us with high temperatures and plenty of sun. But it was Bournemouth that kept me spellbound, making me feel like a child again.
Bournemouth and its neighbour, Boscombe, are always busy, alive with chatter, music and other lively sounds. But as we stepped into Boscombe Chine Gardens, all the noise faded away. A sense of peace spread through us as we meandered along the paths, delighting in the squirrels climbing up and down the trees and the bright colours of the pretty plants.
One morning, we made a short trip to Poole Quay and took the ferry to Brownsea Island. Owned by the National Trust, it’s a feast for the eyes, from its mock Tudor entrance, to the many peacocks walking around, to the magnificent views of the sun sparkling on the shining waters and boats bobbing up and down, seen from the island’s highest point.
Before we knew it, it was time to return home—but not before waving goodbye to the sea.
1. Which of the following best explains “devastated” underlined in Paragraph 1?| A．Sorrowful. | B．Surprised. |
| C．Thrilled. | D．Desperate. |
| A．The fear of losing childhood memories. |
| B．The adjustment to the new circumstances. |
| C．The uncertainty of recalling childhood delight. |
| D．The exposure to high temperatures and sunshine. |
| A．It boasts seaside views. | B．It belongs to wild animals. |
| C．It is free of the town’s noise. | D．It reminds him of his childhood. |
| A．Farewell to Bournemouth. | B．Working in a wonderful place. |
| C．A childhood unforgettable story. | D．Revisiting a childhood favourite. |
2 . Jiang Shumei wasn’t educated as a child, learning her first Chinese character at the age of 60. Now, the 87-year-old grandmother is the proud author of six books. She learned her first character in 1996, after her husband died in a car accident, when her daughter Zhang Ailing suggested that she learn to read to take her mind off the loneliness and sorrow.
Zhang says that her mother had her own way of learning. Whenever she came across characters she didn’t know at bus stops or shop signs, she found someone to ask. Once Jiang had learned enough characters, Zhang started giving her books to read. Enjoying the books, Jiang told her daughter that she wanted to write down her own stories to share.
She first put pen to paper in 2012, at the age of 75. It was not easy. Sometimes,completing a single sentence could take a day. Jiang usually started writing at 3 or 4 am, and revised the pieces several times until she was satisfied.
Zhang began publishing her mother’s stories on social media platforms in 2013. When Zhang and her mother drew the attention of Zhang’s writer friends, the pair made a decision to publish them. The first book, Time of Trouble, Time of Poverty, was published later that year, and proved to be a success. Some critics even praised it as the “live history of a nation plagued by tough times”. The book earned Jiang a lot of fans and sympathy.
So far, the elderly woman has published six books, totaling more than 600, 000characters in length. She lives a healthy life, exercising every day, drinking milk and soy milk, as well as having regular exercise. “If I could live as long as 130, would you still say that it is too late for me to start after 60?” she asks, jokingly.
1. Why did Jiang learn to read in her later years?| A．To become a proud author. |
| B．To make up for not going to school. |
| C．To encourage her friends and families. |
| D．To reduce the impact of her husband’s death. |
| A．A strong inner desire. | B．The attention from other writers. |
| C．Her daughter’s encouragement. | D．The development of social media. |
| A．Aided. | B．Enlarged. | C．Troubled. | D．Defeated. |
| A．One is never too old to learn. |
| B．All roads lead to Rome. |
| C．Where there is life, there is love. |
| D．Gold can’t be pure and man can’t be perfect. |
For many years, I had a recurring dream. I was a little girl again, rushing about, trying to get ready for school.
“Hurry, you'll be late for school,” my mother called to me.
“I am hurrying, Mom! What did I do with my books?”
Deep inside I knew where the dream came from. It was about some unfinished business in my life. As a kid, I loved everything about school. I loved books, teachers, tests and homework. Most of all I longed to someday march down the aisle to receive my diploma. That seemed more appealing even than getting married.
But at 15, I had to drop out because my parents couldn't afford tuition. My hope of getting a diploma was dead, or so I thought. Pretty soon, I married and had three children, and I thought: “There goes my diploma.”
Even so, I wanted my children to be educated. But Linda, our youngest child, had juvenile arthritis in her hands and knees, which made it impossible for her to function in a normal classroom. I felt sorry for her and I didn't want her to live her life with regret. I didn't give up hope of her being back to school in some way.
One day, I saw an ad in the newspaper for evening courses. “That's the answer,” I said to myself. Linda always feels better in the evening, so I'll just sign her up for night school.
Linda was busy filling out enrollment forms when the secretary said: “Mrs. Schantz, why don't you come back to school?”
I laughed: “There's no way! I'm 55!” But he persisted, and before I knew what I had done, I was enrolled for classes in English and crafts. “This is only an experiment,” I warned him, but he just smiled. So, I told myself to try for just a semester and to see if it would work. Anyway, my dream was still there in my heart.
1. 写作词数应为150左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Paragraph 1：
It was exciting to go to school again but________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
Linda and I saw each other through the time.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
4 . One night, as I was driving down the road, I found something was sitting in the middle of the road. A few seconds later, I realized I was looking at a large turtle (海龟). Afraid of it being crashed by cars, so I pulled over, ran across the road and dragged the turtle to safety. But I’d made one big mistake.
I had heard that the best way to pick up a turtle without hurting it was picking it by the tail in order not to get bitten. So I’d made that big mistake. While the turtle turned out OK generally, I was determined to figure out how to move a turtle properly. I needed to find someone who dealt with turtles. I found the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre. I talked to Dr. Sue, its Executive and Medical Director.
Dr. Sue told me that the organization dealt with a number of aspects of turtle conservation, including rescue, settlement, birth programs, research, and education. Sue explained that southern Ontario is home to a vast majority of turtles in Canada, but is also one of the vastest road networks of the country.
“Ninety percent of injured turtles brought in are caused by cars. These turtles spend a lot of time on land. And they do travel many kilometers on land for a variety of reasons, to find a nesting spot, or to hang out for the summer or winter. Turtles know where they want to go. So, just keep them going in the direction they want to go and you may have saved a turtle’s life,” Dr. Sue said.
Once an injured turtle arrives at the center, there are medical facilities (设备) ready to go, including an X-ray machine. That’s when the team gets to work with healing injuries, and help their patient.
1. Why did the author stop the car?| A．To help the turtle. | B．To see the thing clearly. |
| C．To prevent a car accident. | D．To find something good. |
| A．It got hurt by people before. | B．It was injured a little bit. |
| C．It was run over by a car. | D．It lost its direction. |
| A．Leaving the turtles alone. |
| B．Making Ontario home to turtles. |
| C．Changing the road conditions. |
| D．Helping turtles find nesting spots. |
| A．The director. | B．The driver. |
| C．The author. | D．The turtle. |
5 . When the bell rang on the last day of school, Susanna cheered along with her classmates. School was over, and summer was beginning!
Some students were
On sunny days at the cottage, there was so much
On
Susanna loved the way her whole family spent the summer there. However, the
| A．hesitant | B．grateful | C．excited | D．patient |
| A．lacked | B．meant | C．proved | D．changed |
| A．freedom | B．imagination | C．practice | D．pleasure |
| A．struck | B．kissed | C．bit | D．tore |
| A．brave | B．nervous | C．proud | D．eager |
| A．even though | B．in case | C．as if | D．so that |
| A．cloudy | B．rainy | C．windy | D．sunny |
| A．working on | B．putting away | C．picking up | D．handing out |
| A．talking | B．drawing | C．dancing | D．reading |
| A．highlight | B．arrangement | C．tradition | D．advantage |
| A．protecting | B．hiding | C．seating | D．dressing |
| A．stories | B．lies | C．jokes | D．secrets |
| A．Eventually | B．Exactly | C．Fortunately | D．Obviously |
| A．exhausted | B．silent | C．awake | D．sleepy |
| A．exist | B．approach | C．last | D．end |
6 . Lots of kids like to talk about sports, but Joseph D’Avirro talks about sports like a professional host in a show called Sliders & Curveballs. The 9-year-old from Newington, Connecticut is a natural at sports talk and has been broadcasting the show—which is about baseball, basketball and other sports—with his dad, Mike D’Avirro, since September 2019.
The D’Avirro started the broadcast after two former college roommates of Mike died, which made Mike want to spend more time with his son. Then the idea came to him. So far, they have done about 50 programs. Joseph’s favorite is when the father-and-son team interviewed Jim Calhoun, the coach leading the Connecticut Huskies to three national titles. They have also interviewed important sports authors.
The father and son make about one 30- to 40-minute podcast each month. They prepare for the podcasts by deciding on the questions they want to ask the guest. Joseph asks half of the questions, and Mike handles the other half. Joseph reads his questions again and again to get them in his brain well. It is a lot of work, but Joseph says it is “a lot more fun than homework”. Joseph has also learned to speak up and speak clearly. He has to listen and to go with the flow of the conversation. For example, he said, “If the guest is talking about sports in the 1990s, you have to think about sports in the 1990s.”
When asked how long he and his dad will continue doing the show, he answered, “Until my dad starts growing gray hairs.” Joseph has other ambitions when he grows up—to be a sports player, a sports broadcaster or to own a basketball team. Those are big dreams, but Joseph is already living a dream: talking sports and spending time with his dad.
1. What is Joseph’s show about?| A．Some talk shows on sports. |
| B．Ways to get along with parents. |
| C．Stories about famous sports players. |
| D．Sports that his family loves playing. |
| A．His son’s talent for sports. |
| B．His wish to be a host since college. |
| C．The deaths of his college roommates. |
| D．The encouragement from his roommates. |
| A．It’s as boring as homework. |
| B．It’s challenging to his brain. |
| C．It takes a lot of time but means a lot. |
| D．It’s more interesting than homework. |
| A．A rising sports broadcaster |
| B．A long road to go to success |
| C．The father-and-son team hosts |
| D．Joseph D’Avirro’s big dream |
7 . Ida Nelson was relaxing herself in her sister’s sauna (桑拿室) when she heard the sound of a small airplane circling the nearby airport.
It was 11: 30 at night in a remote village with a population of 70, and, as she told the newspaper reporter, “Any time a plane flies over that late, you know something is wrong.” Nelson and her sister leaped out of the sauna, ran to the window, and saw the problem — the airports runway lights were out. Nelson threw on some clothes, jumped into her jeep, and floored it to the airport, where she found a local pilot trying to turn on the lights manually.
“Normally, if you push the button 10 or 15 times, the lights will just light up,” Nelson told the reporter. Not this time. Meanwhile, she and the pilot learned of the plane’s urgent mission — it was a helicopter, there to transport a seriously ill local girl to the nearest hospital, 280 miles away in another city.
Nelson had a plan. Driving her jeep to the end of the runway, she shone her headlights on the road for the plane to follow. Great idea, but it wasn’t enough. More light was needed, so a neighbor called nearly every home in the village — 32 of them.
Within 20 minutes, 20 vehicles arrived at the airport, many of the drivers still in pajamas. Following directions from the helicopter pilot, the cars lined up on one side of the runway. The helicopter made its final approach and, guided by the headlights, landed safely. The young patient was loaded onto the aircraft, and the plane immediately took off again. Her illness was never publicly known, but she has since been recovered.
Without them, the girl might not have made it. However, for Nelson, it was only a small deed.
1. What problem did the helicopter encounter?| A．Its lights went out by accident. |
| B．It made noise as it ran out of fuel. |
| C．It didn’t arrive at the scheduled time. |
| D．It could not spot the runway at night. |
| A．instant | B．normal | C．final | D．impossible |
| A．The girl has been in the hospital since her illness was reported. |
| B．The creative thought and the sense of duty of Nelson led to the final landing. |
| C．The villagers gathered so quickly because they were awake and ready to help. |
| D．The helicopter was to transport the girl from the local hospital to another one. |
| A．No way is impossible to courage. |
| B．A friend in need is a friend indeed. |
| C．A small act of kindness makes a big difference. |
| D．Where there is a wisdom, there is effectiveness. |
It was in the 1930s, and things were tough. Mum had a hard time raising us on her own in our small community of New Westminster, BC. My dad had drowned in Pitt Lake, five years ago.
Looking back, I realize what Mum went through sending us kids to school. Every morning she would put a new piece of cardboard in our shoes, because the bottom parts were worn out. When we got home, Mum would have “French toast” ready for us. Constant moving was typical for my family in those times. Rent was 25 dollars a month, but Mum couldn’t pay it, and we knew we would be evicted right after Christmas on the first of January.
Christmas was approaching, and we were entitled to a twenty-five-dollar Christmas fund from social services. The inspector came to our house, and searched it from top to bottom to be sure we didn’t have any food hidden away. When he didn’t find any, he issued the cheque to Mum.
Mum said that instead of buying food, she would use the 25 dollars to pay back rent, assuring all of us a roof over our heads for a little while longer. She told us then there would be nothing for Christmas.
Unknown to Mum, I had been selling Christmas tree, cleaning snow, and doing part-time jobs to earn enough money to buy a new pair of boots. Boots that weren’t patched, boots with no cardboard in the soles. I knew exactly which boots I wanted. They were ten-inch Top Genuine Pierre Paris and they had a price of 23 dollars.
Well, the big day came on the afternoon of Christmas Eve. I was excited, as I hurried up the road to the shoe store, but on the way I noticed a house with Christmas lights and decorations. It was then I realized at our house, we had no lights, no decorations, nor any money for Christmas meals. I knew that we would have no turkey or ham for Christmas, and I felt sad.
注意：
1.续写词数应为150个左右;
2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
As I continued walking, I began to reconsider my plan.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
With great excitement and tears, I knocked on the door of our house.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
On a snowy day Steve sat down on the usual seat in the Union Square. Every Thanksgiving for nine years he had sat down there at one in the afternoon. Every time, a wonderful thing happened to him, which made his heart feel full of joy.
On those other Thanksgiving Days, Steve usually had been hungry. But today Steve was not hungry. He had come from a dinner so big that he had almost no power to move. His body had suddenly become too big for his clothes; it seemed ready to break out of them. They were torn. You could see his skin through a hole in the front of his shirt. But the cold wind, with snow in it, felt pleasantly cool to him.
The dinner had not been expected. He had been passing a large house near the beginning of that great broad street called Fifth Avenue, where lived two ladies of an old family who had a deep love of tradition that on Thanksgiving Day food will be offered to the first hungry person to walk by. Today Steve happened to be the one to pass by on his way to the park.
Steve sat in the park, appearing to be waiting for somebody, but appearing not to expect something to happen. Suddenly his eyes grew wider and his breath stopped. For the old gentleman was coming across Fourth Avenue toward Steve’s seat.
Every Thanksgiving Day for nine years the old gentleman had come there to find Steve on his seat. Then he had led Steve to a restaurant and watched him eat a big dinner, which had been a part of Thanksgiving Day. The old gentleman was thin and tall and sixty. His hair was whiter and thinner than it had been last year. His legs shook, seeming not as strong as they were the year before.
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。
As this kind old gentleman came toward him, Steve began to shake and his breath was shorter.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________With these words, the old man looked into Steve' s eyes, expecting Steve to accept the dinner.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . I would often watch the kids from my window as they played basketball. One day, among the children a girl
One day I asked her
I
Sensing her
The next year, the girl was
| A．attracted | B．worried | C．satisfied | D．troubled |
| A．expected | B．learned | C．managed | D．remembered |
| A．why | B．how | C．when | D．where |
| A．strange | B．bad | C．young | D．big |
| A．helped | B．watched | C．taught | D．respected |
| A．sleeping | B．working | C．dancing | D．sitting |
| A．Coldly | B．Angrily | C．Quietly | D．Sharply |
| A．frequently | B．never | C．sometimes | D．always |
| A．comfort | B．disappointment | C．happiness | D．relief |
| A．careless | B．serious | C．impolite | D．wrong |
| A．sign | B．world | C．power | D．source |
| A．sing | B．teach | C．cheer | D．play |
| A．for | B．except | C．from | D．with |
| A．offered | B．posted | C．produced | D．donated |
| A．college | B．hospital | C．shop | D．charity |
