Eduardo reached into his backpack, searching for his cell phone. He was scared of having to spend the spring break at Aunt Letty’s farm. Although he had protested, his parents decided that spending time on the farm would be a great experience for him. They grew up on a farm and believed that responsibility, hard work, and respect for the land were valuable lessons.
“So, have you ever ridden a horse?” Aunt Letty asked, trying to turn his attention away from his phone. “Hmmm, no.” he answered. “Well, we’ve got a nice calm horse I think you’ll like. Hercules-sounds like a beast, but he’s basically a gentle giant-big, but kindhearted!” she said, smiling. Eduardo glanced at his aunt, annoyed that he was expected to work. He tried to text a friend but there was no cell reception.
The next few days were busy. The crow of the roosters woke them up, and they had breakfast before dawn. Then they went out to the barn to get the feed while the animals waited to be fed. The afternoons were filled with transporting hay, cleanup, and caring for the animals. At dusk, when the farm was finally quiet, Aunt Letty stretched her arms out and inhaled(吸气), “Just take a deep breath of that sweet country air!” Eduardo, exhausted from his chores, was unable to appreciate his work.
On the third day, without warning, Aunt Letty announced, “It’s time to meet Hercules.” She led Eduardo into the stables. Aunt Letty was right. Hercules was remarkable!
Aunt Letty held her hand open for Eduardo to take. Reluctantly, he let her guide his hand toward Hercules and allowed the magnificent creature to sniff his palm. Softly, Hercules rubbed its nose and mouth against him.
“It feels like velvet(天鹅绒)!” Eduardo beamed. An hour later, Eduardo was scratching Hercules on his neck and offering him carrots.
That night, as they headed toward the house, Eduardo was inspired. His arms spreading wide, he inhaled and said, “Take a breath of that sweet country air!”
1.Why did Eduardo’s parents send him to the farm?
A.To better his views on life. B.To show him the beauty of nature.
C.To change his attitude to Aunt Letty. D.To prevent him using a mobile phone.
2.What can we infer about Eduardo from the last four paragraphs?
A.He discovered the horse was wild.
B.He realized working hard would pay off.
C.He came to appreciate the life on the farm.
D.He found Aunt Letty impatient but inspiring.
3.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Aunt Letty’s Farm B.Sweet Country Air
C.A Remarkable Horse D.Busy Country Life
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The cheerful smiles and legendary strength of the Sherpas(夏尔巴人) have been an essential part of Mount Everest climbing expeditions(探险) from the very beginning. Indeed, very few significant successes have been achieved without them.
When Western mountaineers first set their sights on the world’s highest peak, they found in the Sherpas a people ideally suited to the hardship of high-altitude climbing, unfailingly positive, stout at altitude, and seemingly resistant to cold.
Sherpas did not venture into the high peaks until European mountaineers began arriving to climb in the world’s greatest mountain range. Mount Everest, known as Chomolungma or “Goddess Mother of the Land” to the Sherpas, was long considered as a living place of the gods where humans were not allowed to go.
Although Everest now sees many a human footprint, the Sherpas still regard the mountain as a holy place. All modern expeditions begin with a Puja ceremony in which Sherpas and other team members leave offerings and pay respect to the gods of the mountain, hoping to remain in their good graces throughout the climb.
Sherpas were first employed as porters, tasked with carrying large amounts of equipment to supply the military-style expeditions of the day. The early climbers were amazed at the strength of these people, from the fittest of mature men to the young and elderly. In addition to their heavy loads, some of the women even carried along their babies. The whole troop of Sherpas slept outside, using only rocks for shelter, as temperatures dropped well below freezing.
Stronger Sherpas soon graduated from porter status and began to undertake challenging climbing. Those who distinguished themselves were awarded the Tiger Medal, and many desired this honor and the higher pay rate it afforded. Despite the potential dangers, the Sherpa people remained enthusiastic about taking part in Everest expeditions, which even then were becoming an important source of income for a poor mountain folk.
1.Sherpas didn’t go into the high peaks before Europeans’ arrival mainly because ________.
A.they enjoyed staying at low altitudes B.they were short of proper equipment
C.they were unaware of their potentials D.they considered the mountain as holy
2.By mentioning the “rocks” in Paragraph 5, the writer emphasizes _______.
A.the intelligence of the Sherpas B.the challenges for the climbers
C.the physical ability of the Sherpas D.the wild landscape of Mount Everest
3.Which of the following can best describe the Sherpas according to the text?
A.Talented for high-altitude climbing. B.Adventurous and crazy about wealth.
C.Generous and willing to help climbers. D.Professional in treating altitude sickness.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Over the past five decades mosquito populations in parts of the U.S. have skyrocketed by a factor of 10-a situation with worrying implications for the spread of diseases. And some places are apparently more easily affected than others. A new study in the Journal of Medical Entomology found that in Baltimore, low-income neighborhoods bear the biggest burden: they have not only more mosquitoes but also larger ones, which often survive longer. The problem most likely is rooted in the fact that Baltimore has nearly 17,000 abandoned buildings, which are concentrated in economically disadvantaged areas and serve as convenient mosquito-breeding zones.
Compared with prosperous blocks, low-income blocks have more abandoned buildings and are more heavily littered with thrown-away containers that collect standing water. And water that pools in abandoned buildings is protected by shade-which helps mosquitoes grow larger. Some cities take efforts to plant trees in low-income blocks but may actually worsen the problem: trees and bushes not only shade outdoor breeding(繁殖) pools but also shed leaves into the water and feed the mosquito larvae(幼虫), helping them grow bigger. Worse still, climate change could worsen the disease landscape by broadening habitats and lengthening the time every summer that mosquitoes can breed and survive.
Cities may, then, need to focus more mosquito-control efforts on these areas. Urban health departments typically educate homeowners about the importance of emptying water out of outdoor containers. But nobody empties those in or around abandoned buildings. “It is something that is fairly difficult for a city to address because it’s really expensive to go into private belongings and clean them up,” says Dina Fonseca, a molecular ecologist at Rutgers University. Yet if these belongings become breeding grounds not only for annoying mosquitoes but also for dangerous diseases, officials’ concepts may need to change.
1.What does the phrase “a factor of 10” in Paragraph 1 refer to?
A.A major cause. B.A high rate.
C.A big concern. D.A special situation.
2.Why is the spread of diseases relatively more serious in poor neighborhoods in Baltimore?
A.Because people there lack the awareness of waste sorting.
B.Because people there pay little attention to water protection.
C.Because more thrown-away containers are collected for reuse there.
D.Because more abandoned buildings serve as habitats for mosquitoes there.
3.Which of the following solutions is well-intentioned but may result in opposite effects?
A.Planting more trees. B.Changing officials’ ideas.
C.Emptying water containers. D.Cleaning abandoned buildings.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A.To complain about the poor housing. B.To offer some treatments for diseases.
C.To appeal for mosquito-control efforts. D.To introduce a new species of mosquitoes.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Though technology has considerable wonderful benefits, it is becoming increasingly obvious that our addiction to technology and overall cell phone addiction is becoming too common. However powerful it is, it does have a power-off button.1.
● Powering-down prevents the fear of missing out.
Scientifically speaking, the Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) has been recognized as a recently rising psychological disorder brought on by the huge increase in technology addiction. The premise(假定) is simple.2.Within this constant stream of information, our fear of being left out continues to grow. Turning off social media and learning how to live in the moment are both important skills in this modern world.
● Powering-down promotes creation over consumption.
Essentially, most of our time is spent in one of the two categories: consuming or creating. Certainly, technology can contribute to creating. For example, this article was written (created) on a computer. But most of the time we spend in front of technology is spent consuming (playing video games, browsing the Internet, watching movies, listening to music).3. It needs more creating. It needs your passion, your solution, and your unique contribution.
Power down and begin contributing to a better world because of it.
●4.
If we power down for a while, we can learn something about ourselves. We will learn we are far more addicted to technology than we would have guessed. But that is the nature of addiction, isn’t it? We can never fully realize our level of addiction until the item is out of sight. The only way to truly discover technology’s controlling influence on our life is to turn it off, walk away, and sense how strong the pull is to turn it back on.
● Life, at its best, is happening right in front of you.
Our world may be changing, but the true nature of life is not. Life, at its best, is happening right in front of you.5.The conversations are natural and authentic. And the love is real. But if we are too busy staring down at our screen, we’re going to miss all of it.
A.It has a negative effect on our creativity.
B.Our world doesn’t need more consuming.
C.The experiences in life will never repeat themselves.
D.The following are some important reasons to unplug.
E.Our social media are filled with everything happening all around us.
F.Powering-down helps remove unhealthy feelings of envy and loneliness.
G.Technology addiction can only be understood when the object is taken away.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
I was going to see my grandma Ruthy.
Approaching her apartment, I was suddenly seized with the_______ that I was going to die one day. I walked in to see my grandmother sitting on the sofa,_______ and pale. Once she would have ______ me in her huge bear hug, but now it seemed like the sofa was going to have her ______ alive.
I knew I was supposed to hug her but I wanted to ______. I didn’t want to even make eye contact with this woman that I had loved so_______ , because if I did, maybe death would ________ from over her shoulder and touch me too.
My grandmother, dying of cancer, ________ pulled herself to the edge of the sofa and ______ herself up and said, “So where are we going for dinner?” I turned to my mom _______ I didn’t know what food went with dying.
The next minute, we ended up ________ her off the sofa, down the steps, into the car, and driving to the closest ________. She hadn’t managed solid food in weeks, and could ______ do a sip of water due to the pain. But she ordered a large cup of beer. We ate and she drank. ________ , there was no death. There was no cancer. There was a moment like that in every________ .
Then we said _______. I was waiting for the icy cold hand of ______ on my heart. But I didn’t feel it, because she had _______a shield（防护物）around me-the meal.
The last ______ my grandma Ruthy taught me is that one day, I’m supposed to look over my shoulder and say, “Hello, Death. Before we go, I’m going to have one more ______ .”
1.A.depression B.terror C.surprise D.anger
2.A.clumsy B.hungry C.tired D.weak
3.A.wrapped B.packed C.contacted D.comforted
4.A.locked B.split C.bitten D.swallowed
5.A.check B.scream C.run D.stand
6.A.slightly B.deliberately C.secretly D.dearly
7.A.reach out B.run away C.look away D.set out
8.A.smoothly B.unwillingly C.slowly D.casually
9.A.dressed B.straightened C.gave D.fastened
10.A.when B.although C.because D.unless
11.A.dragging B.rushing C.carrying D.inviting
12.A.restaurant B.park C.supermarket D.clinic
13.A.carefully B.barely C.freely D.easily
14.A.From time to time B.From then on C.For a long while D.For a moment
15.A.meal B.conversation C.party D.celebration
16.A.sorry B.goodbye C.hello D.thanks
17.A.fate B.God C.death D.life
18.A.built B.removed C.bought D.refused
19.A.skill B.concept C.story D.lesson
20.A.hug B.beer C.talk D.trip
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1 个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
“Be true to yourself” is a1.(common) used saying encouraging individuals to make decisions according to their own beliefs. However, one should always take into 2. (consider) the thoughts and opinions of others, because 3.outsider can often see the situation from a different point of view, 4.(offer) a different way of going about the problem. John F. Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis sought the advice of others5.
how to handle the situation and ended up making the right decisions. Lily from Edith Wharton’s “House of Mirth” was 6.(able) to listen to the advice of others and consequently made poor decisions. Asking for the opinions of others for personal or professional decisions7.(help) one avoid making the wrong decision.
Though it is important to remain true to8.each of us truly believes in, we are expected 9.(keep) one ear open to objective opinions. Without the thoughts of others, we will find 10.more difficult to see the weakness in our own arguments and without this self-reflection we can never grow.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，你校交换生 David 有意加入学校阳光志愿者组织（Sunshine Club），向你咨询相关情况，请你给他写一封回信, 内容包括：
1. 表示支持；
2. 主要志愿活动；
3. 申请方式。
注意：1. 词数80左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
Freddie woke up to see it was snowing-again. The world outside was white. Snow covered the roads, the cars, the houses, and even the driveway Freddie had just shoveled the day before.
“Ugh,” said Freddie. “No more snow!” He got out of bed and headed to the bathroom for his regular morning shower. As he reached for the taps, his mother appeared in the doorway.
“I’ve got news,” she said. “There’s been so much snow overnight that the roads are slippery and dangerous. I just heard on the radio that they canceled the school buses for the day.”
Freddie groaned. “Then how am I supposed to get to school?”
His mom grinned. “I guess you don’t. It’s a snow day!”
Freddie’s eyes lit up. He’d never had a snow day off from school before. What would he do first?
“I’m going back to bed!” Freddie headed back to his room and climbed under the covers. After a few minutes, he realized that it was too late. He was already wide awake. He headed down to the kitchen and then sat at the table, watching his father fry the eggs over in the pan and his mother pour juice and coffee. It was relaxing, thought Freddie.
After breakfast his mother suggested he go out and build a snowman. Freddie wasn’t too sure. He didn’t really like the cold and the snow. He’d rather stay inside and play video games.
“You can play afterward, but how about going outside for a little bit? It’s good to get some fresh air, and who knows, you might even enjoy yourself.” Freddie unwillingly put on the warm clothes and headed outside.
Standing alone in the front yard, with the cold wind blowing, was not Freddie’s idea of a good time. Knowing his mom meant what she said, the boy sighed, thinking the quicker he completed his snowman, the faster he could go back inside to his video games. He set to work packing up some snow into a large ball.
Moments later, he saw one of his friends appearing from his house up the street. Dion waddledout in his big snow trousers and heavy overcoat. He waved to Freddie.
“Hey there! I saw you out here and thought you might want company. Snow days are awesome!” Dion laughed.
注意:1. 所续写短文的词数应为 150 左右；
2. 至少使用 5 个短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Para l:
Freddie was surprised but happy to see his classmate.
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Para 2:
Delighted at the idea, Freddie excitedly ran into his house.
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析