1 . Directions: After reading the passage below, fill in the blanks to make the passage coherent and grammatically correct. For the blanks with a given word, fill in each blank with the proper form of the given word; for the other blanks, use one word that best fits each blank.

Charles Dickens

It has been 150 years since Charles Dickens died, 184 years since his first work was released to the public and 156 years since his last completed book came out. In all of this time, these novels have never been out of print. Dickens may have left us, but his work remains timeless,     1     (fascinate) the majority of those who open their pages.

Most people have read, watched or at least heard of Dickens’ stories, but what makes him and his work so popular? Since he began novel writing in his 20s, Dickens constantly produced quality classics. Year after year his awaiting fans were not left     2     (disappoint) as their minds were fed with complex tales of romance, crime, hope and despair.

In the Victorian era he lived in, much of the work Dickens produced     3     (model) on the literature before him. He was one of the first writers of the time     4     (portray) honest examples of working-class people, giving many something to relate to. He focused on unfolding the good and bad qualities of characters which allowed his readers to follow their journeys and understand     5     they may have acted in the unusual or shocking ways that they did.

Any Dickens fans will know the diverse and outrageous (耸人听闻的) characters coming to life between the pages.     6     was special about this novelist’s ability in imagining these characters’ stories is that it comes from his own life’s path.     7     a young boy left to take care of himself in a workhouse to the wealthy figure he became through his writing successes, he knew what it was like to see in different lights. This deep understanding of his characters gave his fictional stories the strong element of believability     8     is needed in a good novel.

Over a century and a half later, Dickens’ themes can be relevant to today’s world problems. His words and imagery have been transformed further into the media of modern film, television and even musical adaptations.     9     set in a time unfamiliar to readers today, his work still enables everyone to relate to the love, hardship and sense of family that pours from the narratives. It is this aspect     10     has carried Charles Dickens into the 21st century.

2 . From the ancient Chinese stories, to the stories in the medieval cathedrals（中世纪的教堂）in the west, it is perfectly clear that there is strong pleasure and meaning to gain from stories told through images or pictures. People are lucky enough to have had books with both pictures and words when they were children.    1    .

After the world wars, the cheap books without pictures were everywhere and it made reading books illustrated with pictures for adults a very luxurious thing. Somehow, pictures had also come to seem childish or strange.    2    Just as the ever-increasing popularity of the graphic novel（连环画小说）suggests, works both words and pictures are regarded as classics.

    3    In fact the former develops from the latter. Early writing systems such as those in Egypt and China: things in the world were expressed in written form by drawing special pictures.       4    In some languages, the sound associated with an image are separated from its original meaning.

What is the use of a book without pictures? Very little, it turns out, particularly if we consider that pictures are buried within the very symbols used to write words. As for a picture book for adults, author Tokarczuk sweeps away all doubts. She adores the picture book.    5    This kind of story is able to get through to anyone – regardless of age, cultural differences or level of education. It’s hard to disagree.

A．Because it is hard to read books with pictures.

B．And yet readers love stories told through pictures.

C．However, words and pictures are not always connected.

D．Text and picture, after all, are not so far apart.

E．For her it is a powerful, old way of telling a story.

F．Adults are thought foolish to read such books.

G．They often remember the pictures as clearly as the words.

3 . Gold Fame Citrus

by Claire Vaye Watkins（$ 5.99）

With the flight of its characters through a landscape destroyed by climate crisis, this novel does not indicate much hopefulness for the future. Within it is a series of situations and consequences made more severe in a future California short of water. Across the desert. we follow Watkins' characters through a place so transformed that it needs its own field guide of animals newly adapted for strange survival.

The Ministry for the Future

by Kim Stanley Robinson（$ 18.1）

The Ministry for the Future is a masterpiece of the imagination, using fictional eyewitness accounts to tell the story of how climate will affect us all. Its setting is not a deserted world, but a future that is almost upon us. This extraordinary novel from the visionary science fiction writer will change the way you think about the climate crisis.

Breathing Fire

by Jaim Lowe（$ 27）

The front lines of the fight against climate change are peopled with those society has forgotten. Up to 30 percent of the firefighters battling wildfires in California each year are prisoners performing backbreaking labor while earning a 40th of what a civilian makes. This book follows six female prisoner firefighters and their worried families, looking into the human cost of environmental crisis.

Something Under the Sun

by Alexandra Kleeman（$ 28）

In Alexandra Kleeman's new novel, a novelist new to Los Angeles teams up with a former child actor to investigate a conspiracy（阴谋）. But this is L. A. , where wildfires burn all year long and the rich store water while the poor suffer from the consequence of climate crisis. Human weakness is pushing the city toward a disaster.

1. Which category does Breathing Fire fall into?

A．Science fiction.

B．Play.

C．Non-fiction.

D．Biography.

2. What is Alexandra Kleeman?

A．A novelist.

B．An actor.

C．A firefighter.

D．A minister.

3. What do the listed books have in common?

A．They are on sale.	B．They show concern over climate.
C．They are intended for teenagers.	D．They are set in California.

4 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

The launch of an English translation of Confidence Comes from Effectiveness: A Foreigner's Wuhan Diary     1     (hold) last Friday. The book, first     2     (publish) in Arabic and then in Chinese, tells how the author Adham Sayed, a Lebanese exchange student in China,     3     (throw) himself into working with Chinese people during the city's lockdown last year.

In Sayed's view, China's putting the     4     (safe) and health of its people first is the reason for winning the battle. His foreign perspective,     5     (globe) vision and Western way of thinking make a consistent narration. He weaves in the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind and reveals China     6     a responsible country. It also shows the world how people in Hubei have made great sacrifices for China     7     (overcome) the pandemic.

This book,     8     original intention was to help people remember the history of the pandemic and to carry forward the spirit, is described as a record of     9     the author saw, heard and thought during the terrible moments of the crisis.     10     (it) English version will play a positive role in telling China's story to the world.

5 . Pick up something you can’t put down

The Unequal Twins

Sylva Kanderal

www.xlibris.com

Hardback I Paperback I E-book

$28.99 I $16.99 II $3.99

What if the twins Ava and Zoe, who could hardly be distinguished from each other visually and who could not have been more different in character, had to go through a hell of envy, jealousy, and malice?

Where does that trail lead to? To a total loss of their connection, or are they finding the lost path to each other again?

Quotes from the Quiver

Dante P. Galiber, MD, FACC

www. authorhouse. com

Hardback I Paperback I E-book

$43.99 I $22.99 I $3.99

Inspired by time, space, and human interaction, this collection offers a series of original and thought-provoking ideas and quotations designed to uplift and enlighten.

Johnny Catching Fire

Aaron Allen

www. xlibris.com

Hardback I Paperback I E-book

$22.99 I $16.99 I $3.99

God gave Johnny the strength of Samson. Now, he must decide whether to use his power for good or to get even with those who bullied him.

Ting Ting, the Girl Who Saved China

Ryan O’connor

www. xlibris. com

Hardback I Paperback I E-book

$22.99 I $16.99 I $3.99

Ting Ting, the Girl Who Saved China provides insight into China’s biggest holiday, gives a sense of its culture, and shows that girls are just as strong and brave as boys are.

How to Help Yourself to Be Who You Want to Be

A Simple Guide for Those Who Are Ready to Take Charge and Redirect Their Lives

Pam Grewall

www. iuniverse. com

Hardback I Paperback I E-book

$23.99 I $13.99 I $3.99

This self-improvement book offers a simple manual to help one recognize their strengths and weaknesses and to understand how to make their own destiny.

1. If you are a fairy tales lover, you would prefer the works of________.

A．Pam Grewall

B．Ryan O’connor

C．Dante P. Galiber, MD, FACC

D．Aaron Allen

2. Which book would you recommend to someone interested in Chinese culture?

A．Johnny Catching Fire

B．How to Help Yourself to Be Who You Want to Be

C．Ting Ting, the Girl Who Saved China

D．The Unequal Twins

3. What can we learn from the information?

A．One can buy 3 books in hardback with $60.

B．The Unequal Twins will impress the readers with the true love between the twins.

C．Quotes from the Quiver is intended to improve readers’ social interaction skills.

D．How to Help Yourself to Be Who You Want to Be will be a good choice for those who are at a loss in their lives.

6 . Sophia Gholz is an award-winning children's book author, music lover. and magic seeker. Sophia enjoys writing fiction with humor and heart. When writing nonfiction, she pulls on her love of science and her family background in ecology.

Her book, The Boy Who Grew a Forest, shares the true story of Jadav Payeng, a man in India who single- bandedly planted an entire forest over the course of his lifetime. When he was younger, Jadav Payeng was shocked by the destruction of his island home. So he took matters into his own bands and began planting one seed at a time. Jadav's forest is now over 1300 acres and provides a home to many animals, some endangered. Jadav is still planting today and his hard work has now been celebrated around the world.

To write this story, Sophia got to know more about Jadav Payeng and his forest through a documentary film called Forest Man. Influenced by her father, a forest ecologist and a scientist, she grew up learning about the importance of trees and the natural world. When she heard about a man on a m1ssion to reforest an entire island on his own, she was drawn to this story.

As for research, most of her research was done online. She read every news article that she could find about Jadav and listened to every interview. Then she reached out to several people who had met or interviewed Jadav as well, including the producer of his short documentary film.

She hopes that The Boy Who Grew a Forest lights a spark in everyone who reads it to go out and care for our beautiful planet. She'd love young readers to be inspired to plant or to learn more about animal habitats, biodiversity and science in general.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．A story on how to plant trees.	B．Endangered animals in the forest.
C．Destruction of Jadav's island home.	D．A book introducing a tree- planting hero.

2. What do we know about Jadav Payeng ?

A．He has quit planting recently.	B．He is known to many people. .
C．He was an actor of Forest Man.	D．He planted trees with his family.

3. Which words can best describe Jadav Payeng?

A．Humorous and skilled.	B．Creative and outgoing.
C．Determined and diligent.	D．Controversia1 and helpful.

4. What's the purpose of writing The Boy Who Grew a Forest?

A．To encourage research on wildlife.	B．To describe a boy's farming experience.
C．To stress the importance of planting trees.	D．To advocate the action to protect the earth.

7 . 假设你是晨光中学的李津。你的英国笔友，孔子学院的学生David对中国的古典文学非常感兴趣，希望你能给他推荐一本书。请你给他回复一封电子邮件，内容包括：
1.书名及作者；
2.主要内容及影响；
3.推荐的理由。
参考词汇：
《三国演义》Romance of the Three Kingdoms
《西游记》Journey to the West   《水浒传》Water Margin
《红楼梦》Dream of the Red Chamber《诗经》The Book of Songs
《史记》The Historical Records《论语》The Analects of Confucius
注意：
(1)词数不少于100；
(2)所推荐书籍不限于参考词汇给出的范围；
(3)适当加入细节，使内容充实，行文连贯：
(4)开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear David,

I'm so glad to receive your e-mail and learn that you have a strong interest in classical Chinese literature.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Best wishes.

Yours,

Li Jin

8 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

While English speakers look back to the time of Shakespeare and Milton 400 years ago as a Golden age, Chinese look back far     1     (far), to the Tang dynasty 1, 200 years ago as their Golden age of literature.

A key feature of Chinese poetry is     2     it is concise (简洁的). Each character places a thought, an impression, an image. Emphasis is put on use of rhythm and sometimes in a     3     (balance) look of the characters so that it is     4     (visual) pleasing on paper.

Amazing 48, 000 poems have survived from the many Tang dynasty poets. After the Tang, poets struggled     5     (establish) a modern style that was not rooted in the glories of the past. Later the style of the Song dynasty did become a popular form. So many people enjoy such     6     (popular) because it was more fluent and less rigid than that of the Tang.

Many poems contain specific events from Chinese history, and that makes understanding these poems     7     challenge to non-Chinese. Translating Chinese poems into English     8     (cause) all sorts of problems. For many years, writers have tried to convey the spirit of poems     9     different ways. Although much is lost in translation, the core (核心) meaning can     10     (catch) and appreciated.

9 . Here are the newly published books. Have a look and meet your new love.

The Legend of the Crimson Criket, the Golden Scorpion,and the Emerald Beetle

Mary Montalvo

www. xlibris. com

Hardback | Paperback | E - book

$28.99 | $16.99 | $3.99

Three remarkable brothers born with me unique abilities save village by fighting a terrible and powerful warlord and his mad son.

Miguel Jesus Corte

Geald Skow

www. authorhouse. com

Hardback | Paperback | E-book

$ 23.99 | $13.99 | $3.99

This is the self-telling story of the author, a poor Ecuadorian who moves from Gualaceo to the Orient as well as his dreams and struggles to make his life a little better.

Remembering a Great American Hero Marian Anderson “The Lady from Philadelphia”

Emile Henwood

www.xlibris.com

Hardback | Paperback | E-book

$28.99 | $16.99 | $3.99

It is a collection of shortened life stories in time order, fully illustrated by engaging photos,which shares the teachable lessons of Anderson’s well-lived long life — especially important today.

Connie Gets More Than Her Backyard

Patti Whitehead-Gill

www. xlibris. com

Hardback | Paperback | E-book

$34.99 | $ 26.99 | $3.99

This tale centers on six-year-old Connie who has recently moved to a town from the city. She learns she’s adopted，meets her best friend and falls in love with an orphan(孤儿) dog.

1. Which book can help you know about its writer?

A．The Legend of the Crimson Cricket,the Golden Scorpion, and the Emerald Beetle

B．Miguel Jesus Corte

C．Remembering a Great American Hero Marian Anderson “The Lady from Philadelpia”

D．Connie Gets More Than Her Backyard

2. How much should you pay buying a hardback book about a hero?

A．$28.99.

B．$26.99.

C．$16.99.

D．$13.99.

3. Which section of the newspaper does the text belong to?

A．Advertisement.	B．Reader & Editor.
C．Entertainment.	D．Book Review.

10 . In October 1937, a newly published book became an instant hit in London, with more than 100,000 copies sold in just a few weeks and still much sought after following three additional printings. That book was Red Star Over China by Edgar Snow, an American journalist who first made the Communist Party of China (CPC) known to the world.

China in the 1930s was engulfed in the war against Japanese aggression. The Long March finally took the Central Red Army to Shaanbei in October 1935. Yan'an, a small town in Shaanbei and then the base of the CPC, was like an islet surrounded by the ocean of the Kuomintang's military and information blockage. The world knew little about the CPC and the Red Army but the demonized images propagated (宣传) by the Kuomintang.

In pursuit of the newsworthy story in China, Snow made it to Yan’an after a long and difficult journey on July 13, 1936. After over 100 days in Shaanbei, Snow was fascinated by the unique charm of the East, something he believed representing the light of rejuvenation (复苏) for the ancient nation of China. For him, the Communists were the most outstanding men and women he had met in China in the past decade with the "military discipline, political morale, and the will to victory", and "for sheer dogged endurance, and ability to stand hardship without complaint", so they were "invincible". He recalled his four-month time with the Red Army as a most inspiring experience, during which he had met with the most free and happy Chinese he'd ever known. In these people who devoted themselves to what they believed was the right and just cause, Snow felt a vibrant hope, passion and the unbeatable strength of mankind, something he had never felt again ever since.

In the preface to Red Star Over China, Snow attributed the global popularity of the book not to its style or form, but the stories. According to him, the stories were created by the young Chinese revolutionists and based on the accounts of them. What he did was simply writing them down in words as fair as the water running in spring.

1. What is the function of the Paragraph 2?

A．To show the importance of Snow’s book in the history.

B．To represent how cruelly and unfairly CPC was treated.

C．To tell how difficult it was for Snow to write the book.

D．To inform an important part of CPC’s history in Shaanbei.

2. Which of the following words can best describe Edgar Snow?

A．Independent and curious.	B．Determined and fair-minded.
C．Ambitious and intelligent.	D．Strong and optimistic.

3. What can we learn about the book “Red Star Over China”?

A．It was the first book to publicize China to the world.

B．It was written to show Edgar Snow’s sympathy for the Red Army.

C．It was a charming reflection of the political wisdom of an ancient country.

D．It was filled with first-hand information from the young Chinese revolutionists.

4. What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To commemorate a famous writer.	B．To recall the long history of CPC.
C．To introduce an important book.	D．To show respect for the martyrs.