1 . Alexander Tsao, a keen rock climber for several years, was climbing the walls at a gym near his home in Redmond, Washington, when he noticed that the ropes were frequently being replaced with new ones. Just 16 at the time, Tsao wondered what happened to the old ropes. He asked the gym owners and found out the ropes had to be discarded regularly due to safety regulations. He was surprised to find that so many ropes were sent to landfills.

This discovery inspired him to find a solution to the environmental issue of climbing rope waste. He considered possible ideas and ways to up cycle the discarded ropes, deciding to turn them into leashes (拴狗带) for dogs.

Once he had made his plan, Tsao contacted all the climbing gyms in Washington State, introducing his idea of recycling old ropes. Some were doubtful at first, but many gyms agreed to donate their used ropes. Tsao spent months testing and designing his products and filling documents to become a nonprofit organization which he called Rocks2Dogs.

To make the leashes, Tsao and volunteers first wash and dry the ropes. They cut them into different lengths, ranging from4 to 10 feet, and then burn the ends to prevent them from fraying (磨损). They add a clip and handle to each end, and cover the leash’s hardware with shrink tape.

Because making the leashes now is a full-time job, Tsao has asked his friends, family and neighbors for help. “We have made and sold over a thousand leashes, which add up to over 10,000 feet of rope being saved from landfills,” says Tsao. The leashes come in various colors. There are also half-price leashes made from ropes with slight imperfections. These start at $7.49 while most other leashes start at $ 14.99. To date, the nonprofit has raised more than $ 35,000. Much of this money has been donated to animal shelters.

1. What did Tsao discover?

A．Rock climbing might do harm to health.

B．The gym didn’t obey safety regulations.

C．Many old climbing ropes went to waste.

D．Landfills caused damage to the environment.

2. What was Tsao’s plan?

A．To call on climbing gyms to donate ropes.

B．To transform retired ropes into dog leashes.

C．To upcycle old leashes saved from landfills.

D．To set up an environmental organization.

3. What does paragraph 4 mainly talk about?

A．Efforts to promote the ropes.

B．Reasons for starting Rocks2Dogs.

C．Ways to reuse discarded waste.

D．Steps for making the leashes.

4. What is the last paragraph intended to tell us?

A．Tsao succeeds in the leash business.

B．Animal protection gain’s more attention.

C．More people volunteered to help Tsao.

D．Leashes are very popular with pet owners.

4 . 阅读表达

One day I decided to plant a garden in our backyard, and my husband began to paint our fence. We’re renters, not owners, and were growing tired of waiting for the day when we would be able to buy something, so we began turning our house into a place we could call home.

We’ve also taken on new responsibilities: I started volunteering at the city’s animal shelter, and my husband has been volunteering for a nonprofit art gallery. Being involved in this way has given each of us an increased sense of purpose and strengthened our ties to the place we live in.

But it’s not just the things that you can add to your restart that matter. I’m happy to be able to help out an elderly woman I see struggling with her bag. I know I’ve done something good when I knock on a neighbor’s door and let her know her car lights are still on. I feel I’ve done my part when I find a lost dog wandering in the neighborhood and return him to his relieved owner.

No doubt it works the other way, too. As we come to care about the place we live in, the people here grow to know and care about us. It feels good to know that when we’re out of town, our neighbors are picking up our mail and keeping an eye on our house for us. We’re delighted when a neighbor congratulates us on my pregnancy.

This symbiotic (共生的) relationship we’re building with our community is exciting and inspiring. As I watch new life sprouting up in my garden, I think about all the possibilities for laying down more roots to this place and growing along with it. And as I think about the baby growing, I am knowing we will be bringing a new person --- a new participant --- into this community, a community he’ll call his hometown.

1. What new responsibility has the author’s husband been taking on? (No more than 10 words)
2. Why are the writer and her husband rewarded in return? (No more than 10 words)
3. What does the underlined phrase “sprouting up” most probably mean? (No more than 3 words)
4. What is the best title of the text? (No more than 8 words)
5. After reading the text, if you want to have a life with your neighbors, what should you do? (No more than 20 words)

5 . Earlier this week I was at a store after the holiday season, and while waiting in line I _______ a very stressed -out Dad with his two sons waiting in line to purchase a car seat for the younger child.

The father was asking if he could buy the display model because it would be _______ than the others. The cashier _______ that he could buy the display model _______ that there was no box for it. He said that was just _______ with him.

Then he asked if there were any additional coupons (优惠券) to bring the _______ down just a little bit more. The cashier was doing her best to _______ some additional savings coupons for this young father; but wasn’t _______ much of anything in her drawer.

I used to be a people-watcher, but found that as I _______ this activity for about five minutes I was beyond moved to help — and I had no idea why, but before I could really think about it . I   ________ myself digging ________ my pockets for the 10 to 15 dollars in coupons I knew I had.

But I found nothing. I gave him $20 cash. The father said he couldn’t ________ it, but appreciated my offer. The cashier was ________ in the same mood as I was in wanting to help this young family; and took the money toward his ________ with a smile on her face — the seat ________ coming to around $50 instead of the original $90.

As the Dad collected his small children and began to ________, he looked at me and said, “You really shouldn’t have done that but I thank you so much — you just made certain that we will all get to eat today.”

My reply was simple. Be it ________ or years from now, simply do the same or something extra for someone else you don’t know; and that would ________ me tenfold（十倍地）.

What really got to me out of this whole experience is that it made me realize a small thing can have a huge ________ in the long run; as long as the chain isn’t ________.

1.

A．believed

B．noticed

C．heard

D．followed

2.

A．bigger

B．taller

C．nicer

D．cheaper

3.

A．expected

B．thought

C．replied

D．disagreed

4.

A．if

B．but

C．until

D．unless

5.

A．fine

B．wrong

C．hopeful

D．kind

6.

A．profit

B．cost

C．product

D．business

7.

A．locate

B．print

C．save

D．borrow

8.

A．arranging for

B．looking forward to

C．referring to

D．coming up with

9.

A．reported

B．recorded

C．observed

D．felt

10.

A．saw

B．found

C．knew

D．expected

11.

A．from

B．onto

C．through

D．towards

12.

A．appreciate

B．offer

C．receive

D．accept

13.

A．hardly

B．obviously

C．fortunately

D．occasionally

14.

A．order

B．attitude

C．appearance

D．method

15.

A．lacked in

B．ended up

C．went on

D．came to

16.

A．drive back

B．turn down

C．walk away

D．wake up

17.

A．tomorrow

B．yesterday

C．afternoon

D．morning

18.

A．praise

B．encourage

C．impress

D．repay

19.

A．room

B．point

C．impact

D．shock

20.

A．valuable

B．broken

C．tight

D．strong

8 . I Still Look for Patches

Aren’t we lucky, when we had a childhood friend willing to be our everlasting, faithful companion(同伴)？I can still remember the day I met my special _________ .

One spring evening, my mother and I patiently waited for my father to come home. His_________ in the doorway made no clear impression on my mind. Suddenly, I heard a_________ “Yip”. “Did I hear something? Daddy, please tell me. What was that?”

As he_________ his pocket he answered, “Nothing. It was only my pocket.” The look on my face must have been a sign of_________.

“Amy!” Softly, daddy called.

I slowly turned around to look at daddy’s_________. There, crawled in his palm was a little dog. _________ several brown spots on her white fur, I named her, “Patches(斑点).”

Patches became a_________ and blame taker. If I was troubled, I could depend on her two ears to listen_________ to everything I had to say. If unfortunately I broke a glass, my trusting companion would willingly__________ responsibility. Her__________ devotion(奉献) only made it hard to separate from her.

When I was about 10, my family moved into a house which wasn’t__________ enough to contain a dog. Sadly, we had to__________ her. My auntie, owning a house with vast pieces of land, __________ her.

I can still remember her eyes__________ at me forlornly(可怜地) as she left. The__________ in her eyes will be with me forever.

I saw her once or twice before she__________. Until my dying day, I shall always expect to see her. I believe that, to this very day, she is still trying to find her way back to her true home. Because I have no__________ that she died, I continue to have faith. The picture is__________ in my mind: a thin white dog comes jumping up, __________ me in loving dog kisses.

1.

A．friend

B．dog

C．neighbor

D．relative

2.

A．absence

B．appearance

C．performance

D．confidence

3.

A．clear

B．loud

C．small

D．weak

4.

A．looked up

B．found out

C．reached into

D．took away

5.

A．excitement

B．sadness

C．disappointment

D．pleasure

6.

A．leg

B．hand

C．foot

D．face

7.

A．Because of

B．Instead of

C．In spite of

D．In case of

8.

A．trouble maker

B．baby sitter

C．risker taker

D．good listener

9.

A．wisely

B．carefully

C．positively

D．unwillingly

10.

A．avoid

B．allow

C．take

D．face

11.

A．faithful

B．powerful

C．fearful

D．wonderful

12.

A．cool

B．clean

C．large

D．bright

13.

A．make use of

B．take care of

C．look out of

D．get rid of

14.

A．caught

B．adopted

C．bought

D．refused

15.

A．seeing

B．staring

C．watching

D．smiling

16.

A．joy

B．anger

C．pain

D．strength

17.

A．disappeared

B．ran

C．returned

D．fell

18.

A．doubt

B．idea

C．problem

D．proof

19.

A．unclear

B．colorful

C．creative

D．vivid

20.

A．watering

B．hugging

C．bathing

D．following

9 . Margie and John Stites were picking out carpet and hardware finishes for a new 3,000-square-foot home here three years ago when Margie Stites came to a startling realization. “We’d already put a $17,000 deposit down, but I didn’t want to have another house again,” said Margie Stites. “I cried for three days; it was so hard.”

When the couple rolled a 41-foot Monaco Knight motor home into the Las Vegas Motorcoach Resort, it was supposed to be a temporary stay while their dream house was completed. But the resort became their permanent place when the couple found something unexpected: an area with all the facilities of high-end gated suburban communities, without the upkeep and bother of a traditional piece of property.

The resort has a terra-cotta-roofed clubhouse, five pools, two hot tubs, a fitness center, tennis courts, twice-weekly water aerobics classes and a nine-hole putting course — all at the center of a maze of 407 lots where owners and renters park RVs (recreational vehicles).

The Stiteses canceled the house and instead bought a 35-by-80-foot lot for $95, 000 in early 2016. They added an outdoor barbecue and bar, an expansive roofed living space and a large storage cabinet that also houses a washer and dryer. “I can’t tell you how many people have come to town to visit us and seen the property and said, ‘Oh, I would never leave,’ ” Margie Stites said. “They say to us, ‘I had no idea you were living like this.’ ”

The Stiteses are not alone. Eugene McCord and his family sold their 4,400-square-foot home in 2017 to live here in the motor home full time. “You quit shopping for furniture and many other things needed to equip a permanent house,” McCord said. “You buy food in reasonable amounts. And this can be cleaned in 30 minutes, so you have more free time.”

Sales of motor homes, and the whole RV industry, have boomed this decade, owing largely to both the rising number of retirees in the United States and the increasingly relaxed view employers have of telecommuting. Vast improvements in mobile technology have made it possible for younger adults to pursue careers and a vagabond (漂泊的) existence at the same time.

1. Why did Margie Stites cry three years ago?

A．She missed their motor home.

B．She had to sell their old house.

C．She faced a dilemma about their new house.

D．She found their new house too expensive to afford.

2. How did visitors feel about the Stiteses’ present home?

A．They admired it very much.

B．They doubted its convenience.

C．They thought it was a good investment.

D．They believed it needed to be expanded.

3. How does the new lifestyle benefit McCord and his family?

A．It provides them with more private space.

B．It allows them to travel around the country.

C．It encourages them to try more natural food.

D．It saves them the burden of looking after a big house.

4. What’s the best title for the text?

A．Homes on wheels get popular

B．Where there is home, there is life

C．Buying a vehicle? Purchase an RV

D．Bring your home with you while traveling

10 . Sara Kays, a singer-songwriter from Indiana sees music as not only a passion but an outlet for her thoughts and feelings. As a ________ star on video platform, she not only uses TikTok to ________ her music, but posts partially-finished snippets (片段) of songs to get feedback from her ________. “It’s been cool to ________ people that way, and sometimes I’ll ________ to a comment of someone asking me if I could write a song about an idea they suggested.” said Kays.

Kays has been using online platforms to pursue her ________ to maximum effect. About three years ago, Kays ________ the app TikTok just to try it out. Now, she is a TikTok celebrity (名人) with about 1.3 million followers. She ________ her breakup song Remember That Night last year. This specific post ________ with almost three million views in just a few days.

Kays has ________ singing since she was young. At 11, she got a ________ from her mother and then started to sing while playing. Two years later, she started to ________ some live videos on YouTube, which got her more followers. At 17, Kays ________ to songwriting to help her deal with the confusion of adolescence.

Different from other content creators who update their content ________, Kays updates on a weekly ________ and only posts videos about her songs and ________ stories, such as singing, playing the guitar, recording or ________ music videos in the studio. Her videos are always ________ and simple, needing only three elements—her producer Martinez, a microphone and water to make.

“I feel very ________ to have the opportunity to release songs and that all these people are listening to them online.” said Kays. Recently, Kays has ________ with a music company. She hopes to sing live and go on tour.

1.

A．rising

B．good-looking

C．amusing

D．long standing

2.

A．change

B．enjoy

C．promote

D．write

3.

A．customers

B．agents

C．classmates

D．followers

4.

A．bring about

B．engage with

C．look after

D．pick up

5.

A．respond

B．refer

C．subscribe

D．object

6.

A．dream

B．reputation

C．profit

D．talent

7.

A．clicked

B．purchased

C．downloaded

D．developed

8.

A．kicked

B．hit

C．scratched

D．released

9.

A．threw up

B．made up

C．blew up

D．kept up

10.

A．kept

B．practiced

C．loved

D．resisted

11.

A．phone

B．guitar

C．camera

D．letter

12.

A．sell

B．post

C．store

D．watch

13.

A．admitted

B．stuck

C．submitted

D．turned

14.

A．frequently

B．gradually

C．properly

D．privately

15.

A．spot

B．stage

C．vacation

D．basis

16.

A．related

B．vivid

C．reliable

D．detailed

17.

A．performing

B．learning

C．playing

D．shooting

18.

A．ambiguous

B．concise

C．complex

D．precise

19.

A．surprised

B．ashamed

C．blessed

D．satisfied

20.

A．competed

B．signed

C．reasoned

D．exchanged