2 . One day, 12-year-old Sean Redden surfed the Internet and went to a popular chat room. Just as he was about to be offline, he saw a name he’d never seen there before, Susan. Her brief message was “Would someone help me?”

Sean typed back, “What’s wrong?” A moment later he received this message, “I can’t breathe. Help me! I can’t get out of my chair.”

Oh, man, Sean thought. Pretending to be paralyzed (瘫痪) was a bad joke. Then he wondered   what if she really is sick? “Hey. Mom.” he called. “There’s a kid here who’s sick or something.” Sharon looked at the computer screen. “It’s not just some game, is it?” she asked.

The message was not a joke. Susan was actually a 20-ycar-old student, working late at night at a college library near Helsinki, Finland - almost 7,000 miles away from Sean’s home in Texas. While searching the Internet, she began to feel terrible pain all through her body. The library was silent and empty. The nearest phone was outside in the hallway. She couldn’t move that far. Any movement caused the pain to get worse. Then she realized she might get help on the Internet.

“I don’t think it’s a joke, Mom,“ Sean said. And he typed, “Where are you?” After a long while, the letters appeared, “Finland.” Sean and Sharon couldn’t believe it. Not knowing what else to do, Sharon called the local police.

Sharon explained the situation to the officer Amy Schmidt. Schmidt told Sharon to try to get the sick girl’s phone number. Texas police called the international telephone operator and asked to be connected to the proper agency (机构) in Finland. The call was put through to a nearby rescue station. The Texas police gave Susan’s address to the Finnish operator. When Sean heard that, he typed, “Help is on the way.”

In a few minutes, Susan heard people running down the hallway outside the door. Suddenly, the door opened. Emergency workers and three policemen ran in. Susan turned once more to the computer, “They are here. Thanks. Bye-bye.”

Four days later, the police in Texas received a message from officers in Finland: “Thanks to her Internet friend. Susan has received medical treatment she badly needed. She is doing well.”

1. What happened when Sean was about to get offline?

A．He noticed an unfamiliar name.

B．He came across a friend in the chat room.

C．A piece of online news attracted him.

D．His computer broke down.

2. What happened to Susan?

A．She fell down on the ground.

B．She was locked in the library.

C．She lost her phone.

D．She was too sick to move.

3. How did Sean and her mother Sharon help Susan?

A．They asked for help online

B．They reported to the Texas police.

C．They sent messages to Susan’s friend.

D．They called the rescue station in Finland.

4. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A．Help on the Internet

B．Help on the Way

C．Making Friends Online

D．Police Officer’s Act of Kindness

4 . 语法填空

When Jack was a small boy, he was once asked to give a speech about “A Big Challenge in My Life”. To talk before the whole class, he was     1     (terrible) shy. However, he had no other     2     (choose), though. First Jack was to draft the speech,     3     was a piece of cake for him because he was a good writer.     4     the hard part lay in his oral presentation, for it was not allowed     5     (read) the paper.

A real trial began when Jack stood on the platform with his legs     6     (tremble) and his mind blank. He took a deep breath and     7     (try) his best to calm down. He didn’t know how much time had passed by. Gradually he found himself back, giving out his speech without much difficulty.     8     his relief, he made it.

From then on, his fear of talking before a big audience disappeared. Actually Jack had his     9     (confident) built up. Now he turns out to be a great speaker.

As we know, the     10     (great) difficulty we meet on our way to success, the more likely we will be able to achieve our goals.

5 . As I held my father’s hands one night, I couldn’t help but notice their calluses (老茧) and roughness. His hands tell the story of his life as a farmer, including all his struggles.

One summer, I remember, a drought (旱灾) hit Ontario, turning it into a _________ desert. On one of those hot mornings I was picking sweet corn with my dad to fill the last _________ from the grocery store. Fifty dozen was all we needed, which _________ took twenty minutes. That morning, however, the process didn’t _________ quickly. After forty minutes of aimlessly walking in the field, we still needed twenty dozen. I was completely frustrated and _________. Dropping the basket heavily, I declared, “If the store wants its last twenty dozen, they can pick it themselves.” Dad _________ , “Just think; my little girl, only ten dozen left for each of us and then we’re _________.” Such is Dad — whatever problem he _________, he never gives up.

_________, the disastrous effects of the drought were felt all over our county. It was a challenging time for everyone, but Dad remained optimistic. He __________ to be grateful for other things like good health and food on our plates. Only then did I truly begin to __________ Dad and his faith that guided us through the hard times.

Dad is also a living example of real __________ . From dawn to dusk, he works countless hours to __________ our family. He always puts our happiness before his own, and never fails to cheer me on at my sports games despite his exhaustion after long days. His loving and selfless nature has inspired me to become more sympathetic and __________ putting others first.

Dad, the life __________ I have learned from you will stay with me forever. You are my father, teacher, friend and, most importantly, my hero.

1.

A．stormy

B．lively

C．disappearing

D．burning

2.

A．order

B．form

C．gap

D．position

3.

A．repeatedly

B．normally

C．finally

D．really

4.

A．go

B．begin

C．occur

D．change

5.

A．surprised

B．nervous

C．angry

D．frightened

6.

A．apologized

B．cried

C．complained

D．laughed

7.

A．lost

B．done

C．gone

D．touched

8.

A．meets with

B．brings up

C．works out

D．thinks about

9.

A．Thankfully

B．Hopefully

C．Unfortunately

D．Strangely

10.

A．happened

B．seemed

C．continued

D．aimed

11.

A．face

B．appreciate

C．examine

D．question

12.

A．love

B．pride

C．friendship

D．honesty

13.

A．impress

B．settle

C．start

D．support

14.

A．careful

B．regretful

C．considerate

D．humorous

15.

A．history

B．motto

C．patterns

D．lessons

6 . It was a rainy day, and I had no desire to drive up the winding mountain road. But my daughter Carolyn had _______ that I come to see something at the top of the mountain. So here I was, _______ making the two-hour journey through the fog. By the time I saw how thick it was near the peak, I’d gone too far to _______.

After parking the car, we walked along a path that was _______ with pine needles (松针). Gradually, the peace and silence of the place began to fill my mind. Then we turned a corner and I gasped (倒吸气) in _______. From the top of the mountain were _______ of flowers flowing across valleys. A mass of color-from the palest pink to the deepest yellow to the most vivid red-shone like a carpet before us. It looked as though the _______ had spilled gold down the mountainside. Who _______ such beauty? How? As we _______ the house in the center of the field, we saw a sign that ________ “Answers to the Questions I Know You Are Asking.” The first answer was: “One ________ - Two Hands, and Very Little Brain.” The second was: “One Plant at a Time, Started in 1980.”

I was so moved that I could hardly speak. “She started over 40 years ago,” I finally said, “probably just the beginning of a (n) ________, but she kept at it.” The ________ of it opened my eyes to the world of the possible. “Imagine,” I said, “if I’d had a vision (愿景) and worked at it, just a little bit every day, what might I have ________?” Carolyn smiled. “Start tomorrow,” she said, “________ yet, start today.”

1.

A．insisted

B．commented

C．preferred

D．appointed

2.

A．officially

B．actually

C．unwillingly

D．faithfully

3.

A．rush out

B．turn back

C．pull over

D．move on

4.

A．wet

B．flat

C．thick

D．wide

5.

A．fear

B．sight

C．doubt

D．amazement

6.

A．rivers

B．bunches

C．pairs

D．branches

7.

A．storm

B．wind

C．sun

D．moon

8.

A．advanced

B．copied

C．revised

D．created

9.

A．quitted

B．possessed

C．neared

D．left

10.

A．wrote

B．read

C．called

D．appeared

11.

A．Male

B．People

C．Expert

D．Woman

12.

A．idea

B．doubt

C．guess

D．joke

13.

A．judgment

B．wonder

C．flash

D．focus

14.

A．realized

B．improved

C．challenged

D．risked

15.

A．Later

B．Closer

C．Faster

D．Better

8 . When she was just 9 years old, Hilde Lysiak became famous across the United States for reporting on different news stories.

Hilde Lysiak’s father was a reporter for New York Daily News. When she was young, he often took her to work with him, so she developed a strong interest in news reporting.

At age 8, Hilde Lysiak started her own newspaper, called Orange Street News (OSN). Her family lived on Orange Street at the time. Hilde Lysiak wanted to cover stories important to everyone in her town. Following the rules her father had taught her, she researched and reported stories in her monthly newspaper. She also set up her own website and reported on YouTube.

OSN suddenly became famous when a murder happened in town, and 9-year-old Hilde was the first person to report it. Soon, news organizations around the country were writing and reporting stories about Hilde. However, not everyone was happy about Hilde’s efforts. Some people criticized (批评) her parents for allowing her to report on something as unpleasant as a murder. Others criticized Hilde for “pretending to be a reporter”. Hilde was upset about the complaints (埋怨). She responded with a YouTube video, “I never began my newspaper so that people would think I was cute,” she said. “I want to be taken seriously. I am sure other kids do, too.”

That wasn’t the first time Hilde had found it hard for people to take her seriously, which was mainly because of her age. But she never let that stop her. Hilde continued reporting.

In 2019, Hilde wrote a book for young people, called Hilde Cracks the Case, which is based on stories that Hilde wrote. The book was then turned into a TV show called Home Before Dark. For now, Hilde says she has given up reporting. But her efforts have already inspired people around the world.

1. How did Hilde develop her passion for news reporting?

A．By going to work with her father.

B．By reading so many news reports herself.

C．By watching how other reporters perform their jobs.

D．By teaching herself the skills and knowledge about news reporting.

2. What is the correct time order of the following events?
a. The murder was first reported.
b. The book Hilde Cracks the Case came out.
c. The TV show Home Before Dark was shot.
d. The newspaper Orange Street News was started.

A．d-a-b-c

B．b-c-a-d

C．d-c-b-a

D．a-d-c-b

3. Why did some people think little of Hilde?

A．She was too young as a reporter.

B．She frequently reported unpleasant news.

C．She often made up stories that were unreal.

D．She usually made mistakes in reporting news stories.

4. What did Hilde do in the face of others’ critical voices?

A．She turned to her father for help and comfort.

B．She posted a YouTube video to express herself.

C．She felt disappointed and gave up reporting immediately.

D．She published an article in New York Daily News to defend herself.

9 . “Just sign here, sir,” the deliveryman (送货员) said as he handed Oscar Reyna a package. Inside the package was a long, narrow box ______ wrapped (包裹) in brown paper. Opening the ______ Oscar saw an umbrella inside — a very old one with a beautifully carved (雕刻) handle (把手) . Although he had not seen it for more than 20 years, he ______ it immediately.

Oscar was 16 when he first saw the ______ umbrella. He had gone to a concert with his grandparents. As they were leaving, he noticed an umbrella on an empty seat. Impressed by its ______ , Oscar felt a strong desire to find its owner.

Oscar ______ the manager to look in the record of advance ticket sales. Just as he thought, a name matched the ______ where Oscar had found the umbrella. The name was Mrs. Katie O’Brien.

They drove to Mrs. O’Brien’s house on their way home. He rang the bell, the door opened, and an elderly woman appeared. “May I ______ you?” she asked. “I’d like to return it if it’s yours,” Oscar said, ______ the umbrella.

“Yes! It’s mine,” replied Mrs. O’Brien with a ______ smile and shining eyes. “It was given to me by my father years ago. Thank you so much for returning it. May I offer you a reward for your ______ ?” “No, ma’am.” he said, “my grandmother says that a good deed (行为) is its own reward.” “Well, that’s ______ what my father used to say. What is your name, Young man?

Years later, Oscar was staring at the finely carved handle of the umbrella as he remembered Mrs. O’Brien. It was still in perfect condition, considering how ______ it was. Why had it arrived here today? As if in ______ a note fell from the paper. It read. Mrs. O’Brien wanted you to accept this umbrella long ago as a present for a kind, ______ behavior.

1.

A．strictly

B．carefully

C．seriously

D．carelessly

2.

A．box

B．package

C．door

D．paper

3.

A．noticed

B．understood

C．caught

D．recognized

4.

A．ordinary

B．unusual

C．simple

D．formal

5.

A．beauty

B．shape

C．size

D．history

6.

A．ordered

B．forced

C．advised

D．encouraged

7.

A．record

B．concert

C．owner

D．seat

8.

A．invite

B．help

C．trouble

D．know

9.

A．putting up

B．turning out

C．picking up

D．holding out

10.

A．wide

B．attractive

C．proud

D．shy

11.

A．patience

B．kindness

C．courage

D．determination

12.

A．clearly

B．naturally

C．exactly

D．probably

13.

A．old

B．amazing

C．valuable

D．nice

14.

A．turn

B．return

C．exchange

D．answer

15.

A．charming

B．mean

C．selfless

D．selfish

10 . In my early teens, I was once given a film camera as a gift. On receiving it, I jumped on my bike, headed to Wimbledon Common and took photos, just for me: photos of trees and wildlife. I was out all day. On my way home I spotted a tree lit up by street lighting and tried to capture its splendour. Rushing home, I popped the spent film in a special little envelope and sent it off to a photography store, desperate to see how it came out. I took many photos then and loved the fact that when you processed your film you got back colour photos which froze the precious moments, gently encouraging the hobby and the payments for processing.

As I grew into adulthood, that simple, deep happiness gradually faded away. One weekend when I was busy answering the work calls, my eyes caught a box in the corner of the room. I suddenly felt a sense of sadness. The stress growing over these years had pushed the camera from beside my pillow to the box in the corner. I thought I needed a change.

I took out the camera and dusted it down. It was a great joy that it still worked. I bought new film and took the camera everywhere I went. Now it is always on hand to accompany me on journeys, to allow me time to myself. Even if the day is full and busy, I can seize some moments for myself to take photos, to observe the world around me.

The wall of my room now holds all my camera equipment along with photos I’ve taken. To me, the room represents how I’ve found happiness: by reconnecting to the younger part of myself I laid aside, by allowing room in my life for pleasure to exist, and by creating an environment that allows opportunities for delight.

1. What did the author think of taking photos as a young boy?

A．Inspiring and practical.	B．Troublesome yet delightful.
C．Complicated yet engaging.	D．Thrilling and rewarding.

2. What prevented the author from taking photos according to paragraph 2?

A．He was struck by sudden sorrow.

B．He was faced with increasing pressure.

C．He intended to focus on his work

D．He attempted to behave like an adult.

3. What did the author get from picking up his hobby?

A．More enjoyment in the daily routine.	B．New journeys in the wild.
C．Better skills of observation.	D．Different styles of photography.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Revisiting Lost Childhood Memories

B．Appreciating Beauty Behind the Lens

C．Regaining Pleasure Through Photography

D．Escaping Teenage Sadness with Camera