Classified Training Ⅰ 分類訓(xùn)練一

閱讀理解 + 閱讀七選五

（一）

閱讀理解

A

（小徑）

The Woodland Trail was opened to the public on October 21， 1997. Boscobel’s Board of Directors adopted a formal decision of naming the Woodland Trail in honor of the former Boscobel Board member， Frances Stevens Reese （1917—2003）， one year after her death.

The trail is about 10 miles in length， leading down to Constitution Forest. When the West Point Glass Factory was operating during the Civil War， trees for miles around were cleared to provide firewood. Walking out of the forest， you will find a large mass of native hard rock about three billion years old.

Throughout this country path， you will find many birds and plants local to this region. You will also find signs with historical and environmental information written by area specialists.

When you take a walk through this “undiscovered” forest land， please be a considerate （體貼的） guest.

· Before walking along the trail， please buy a pass in the Carriage House. Plan ahead， so you will be back by closing time.

· Follow the trail markers （標(biāo)識） and remain on the trail. Besides protecting the fragile forest ecosystem， you will reduce the risk of getting hurt by poisonous plants and snakes.

· Leave rocks， plants， animals and artwork where you see them so that the person behind you can have the same experience.

· Carry out whatever you carry in because there are no rubbish containers on the trail. If you happen to see a piece of litter， be a good guest and pick it up.

1. When was the trail named to honor Frances Stevens Reese？

A. In 1918.???????????????????? B. In 1997.???????????????????? C. In 2002.???????????????????? D. In 2004.

2. What can you see along the trail？

A. An old battle field.?? B. A glass factory.???????? C. Information signs.???? D. Rock houses.

3. What should you do to be a considerate visitor？

A. Leave the wildlife where it is.????????????????????????? B. Throw the rubbish into the bins.

C. Book the ticket in the Carriage House.??????????? D. Protect the markers of the Woodland Trail.

B

Many people living in extremely low-income areas don’t have access （機(jī)會） to the materials they need to make even the most basic home improvements. Most， including Tessa Vierk’s and Jim Benton’s friends， can’t afford to buy pricey tools themselves， nor can they afford to find someone else to repair their homes. That’s where the Chicago Tool Library comes in！

Tessa and Jim set up the library that accepts tool donations in 2019. It functions exactly like a regular library， except instead of books， people can borrow tools they need for home repairs， woodworking， gardening， cooking， camping， and more. People sign up for a library card， and there’s a pay-what-you-can annual fee （費(fèi)） with no standard or minimum payments. Members can borrow as many tools as they can carry for seven days， and renew （續(xù)借） them if they want to. When the library first started， Tessa and Jim had about 150 members. They now have over 1，500 members from all over the Chicago area and more than 2，500 tools to choose from.

Now， in fact， they’ve had to turn down tool donations. They’re searching for a larger building to hold “twice as many tools”. “Probably 90 percent of the tools we have have been donated，” Tessa said. “A lot of people own too many high-quality things， and they would give them to us so that we don’t have the space to accept.”

“While it’s quiet around the library， it’s far from the city， which is hard for young people who are working to get our services. We are planning to relocate to a larger location with a better public transport network to make our offerings， including more tools， and lots of other wonderful services， available to even more people，” they wrote on their website.

4. What made Tessa and Jim start the Chicago Tool Library？

A. Their love for reading books.?????????????????????????? B. Their friends’ encouragement.

C. Their interest in decorating.????????????????????????????? D. Their desire to help the poor.

5. Which word best describes the Chicago Tool Library according to Paragraph 2？

A. Elegant.???????????????????? B. Popular.???????????????????? C. Costly.?????????????????????? D. Innovative.

6. Why do Tessa and Jim turn down tool donations？

A. They have had enough tools.?????????????????????????? B. The tools are of poor quality.

C. Their storage space is limited.????????????????????????? D. They want to buy tools themselves.

7. What can be inferred about the present location of the library？

A. It’s not easily accessible.????????????????????????????????? B. It’s close to the community.

C. It’s noisy and crowded.?????????????????????????????????? D. It’s favorable for the young.

C

Imagine a world without insects. It might sound good at first without annoying flies in your apartment. However， the results would be .

The number of insects has dropped by more than half in the past decades， according to British biologist Dave Goulson， author of . As insects make up most of the known species on this planet， this data is not good news， reported on July 25.

Insects are indeed on the path to extinction， according to the first global scientific review of insect population decline， which was published in the journal in January. The researchers say intensive agriculture has been the main cause of the decline. Pesticides， in particular， destroy insect habitats （棲息地）. Urbanization （城市化） and climate change are also significant factors.

“Unless we change our ways of producing food， insects as a whole will go down the path of extinction in a few decades，” the researchers wrote in the review. “The impact this will have for the planet’s ecosystems are disastrous to say the least.”

What would happen to Earth without insects？ It’s almost impossible to predict. We need insects to pollinate crops， recycle plant and animal material， keep the soil healthy and much more. Without insects， many animals would have nothing to eat， and the predators （捕食性動物） of those animals would go hungry as well. The ecosystem would be thrown off balance.

“If insect species losses cannot be stopped， this will have disastrous results for both the planet’s ecosystems and for the survival of mankind，” said Francisco Sanchez-Bayo at the University of Sydney， Australia， one of the authors of the review.

The first step to stopping this process is “to make a society that values the natural world， both for what it does for us and for its own sake”， Goulson suggests. “The obvious place to start is with our children， encouraging environmental awareness from an early age.”

8. What does the underlined word “catastrophic” in Paragraph 1 probably mean？

A. Highly helpful.????????? B. Very interesting.??????? C. Extremely terrible.???? D. Really surprising.

9. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about？

A. Factors causing insect habitat loss.????????????????? B. Problems with intensive agriculture.

C. Influence of urbanization on insects.?????????????? D. Causes of the decline in the insect population.

10. Why are insects so important to Earth？

A. They have a great impact on the ecosystem.? B. They help slow down climate change.

C. They reduce the number of predators.?????????? D. They keep the soil dry and healthy.

11. What does Goulson believe is the key to preventing insect species losses？

A. Exploring the natural world often.???????????????? B. Providing insects with enough food.

C. Taking children to watch insects closely.?????? D. Raising public awareness of natural protection.

D

While it’s neither a good nor bad habit， I believe we should think about how much we let others impact us. Why？ Because we’re independent people and we can choose our own way.

Jim Rohn， a public speaker， said， “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” This means our close circle of peers （同齡人） can be seen as parts of ourselves. That’s why I often find it difficult， even now， to go against my family’s or friends’ opinions， because they’re the people I care for most and don’t want to disappoint.

When I was around nine years old， I went to a summer camp where I met lots of other kids. At dinnertime， we’d all gather around in the restaurant. At some point， my group of friends and I decided to have a competition to see “who could drink the most glasses of water”. Little me， very competitive and careless， drank 14 glasses of water in 20 minutes. Obviously， I was encouraged by my friends， who were cheering me on. As the night went on， I was rushed to the hospital.

It’s the feeling of belonging to a group that’s tricky （棘手的）. One truth I know for sure now is that real friends will always respect your choices. If you’ve thought through it and don’t want to do something， you shouldn’t do it. Your true friends shouldn’t force you to do anything. You’re the master of your own choices. For example， I’ve often turned down some party invitations because I’ve made my own decisions about what I do and don’t want to do. This can， however， leave a cold impression at first， because you’re not following the decisions of the people you may usually agree with. However， in the end， I realize I’m the one who faces the consequences （后果） of my actions， not my friends.

12. What can we infer from Jim Rohn’s words？

A. We’re likely to be average people.???????????????? B. We should have at least five friends.

C. We’re easily influenced by people around us.?????????????????????????????????????? D. We should spend more time with our friends.

13. What can we learn about the author in the summer camp？

A. The kids made fun of him.???????????????????????????? B. He started a competition.

C. He was respected by his friends.??????????????????? D. Being competitive put him in danger.

14. What does the author believe now？

A. True friends should be understanding.

B. True friends are hard to find.

C. It’s necessary to make a good first impression.

D. It’s understandable that improper choices are made.

15. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Lead Your Peers??????????????????????????????????????????? B. Go Your Own Way

C. Keep Fighting in Life???????????????????????????????????? D. Be a Doer Than a Talker

閱讀七選五

Many of us don’t pay much attention to the importance of eye care. It is said that if you take care of your eyes， then you can surely be healthy. Natural eye care should be put in a number one place.

There are several causes leading to poor eyesight like not enough food， genes （基因） and aging. If you happen to work in front of the computer， it is best to take a break every once in a while.

Something dirty can cause redness and it will make you feel uncomfortable. It is bad for your eyes， too. If this happens， the best way is to clean your eyes by using cold water. For example， sunglasses are not just for fashion but they can also serve as a great way to protect your eyesight from UV Rays.

Remember that vitamins （維生素） A， C and E are good for eyes. Try to eat food groups that have these vitamins. And you should do eye exercises because exercise protects your eyesight， too. If a person exercises regularly and eats the right kind of food， his eyes will stay in good condition for a long time.

In a word， eye care is very important， no matter how old a person is.

A. Such behavior will do harm to our eyes.

B. We need to do something to protect our eyesight.

C. That’s why our eyes should be given lots of care.

D. Eating healthy food will do good to your eyesight.

E. You must also try your best to protect your eyes from harmful things.

F. All above are natural ways of eye care that can help us keep healthy eyes.

G. Televisions， computers and reading are also the causes of having poor eyesight.

16._____________ 17._____________ 18._____________ 19._____________ 20._____________

（二）

閱讀理解

A

INPEX?， the American largest invention trade show， is looking for kid inventors to bring their inventions to Kids’ Day at the Invention Show. Young inventors come for a chance to win cash prizes and great giveaways.

No invention？ No problem！ Kids’ Day isn’t just for kid inventors. Enjoy music， games and many interesting activities for all ages. Bring your family and friends for a fun day of creativity and excitement.

There will be lots of exciting activities to take part in and inventions to check out from kid inventors. All inventions will be judged and cash prizes will be awarded. Every exhibitor will receive a certificate for taking part and a bag full of fun things just for bringing your invention to Kids’ Day.

How to sign up for Kids’ Day at the Invention Show？

Please print Kids’ Day Participation Form. Then fill it out and mail it or fax it to：

ATTN： Kids’ Day

217 Ninth Street

Pittsburgh， PA 15222

Fax： （412） 288-4546

If you have any questions， please email .

1. People who go to the show can surely_________.

A. win cash prizes???????????????????????????????????????????????? B. receive a certificate

C. get a bag full of fun things?????????????????????????????? D. take part in interesting activities

2. When can people enjoy the invention show？

A. At 10：30 am.???????????? B. At 11：30 am.????????????? C. At 3：30 pm.?????????????? D. At 4：30 pm.

3. How can one sign up for the invention show？

A. By fax.????????????????????? B. By email.?????????????????? C. Through the phone.?? D. Through the website.

B

Jennifer Mauer has needed more willpower than the typical college student to pursue （追求） her goal of earning a nursing degree. That willpower bore fruit when Jennifer graduated from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire and became the first in her large family to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Mauer， of Edgar， Wisconsin， grew up on a farm in a family of 10 children. Her dad worked at a job away from the farm， and her mother ran the farm with the kids. After high school， Jennifer attended a local technical college， working to pay her tuition （學(xué)費(fèi)）， because there was no extra money set aside for a college education. After graduation， she worked to help her sisters and brothers pay for their schooling.

Jennifer now is married and has three children of her own. She decided to go back to college to advance her career and to be able to better support her family while doing something she loves： nursing. She chose the UW-Eau Claire program at Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Marshfield because she was able to pursue her four-year degree close to home. She could drive to class and be home in the evening to help with her kids. Jennifer received great support from her family as she worked to earn her degree： Her husband worked two jobs to cover the bills， and her 68-year-old mother helped take care of the children at times.

Through it all， she remained in good academic standing and graduated with honors. Jennifer sacrificed （犧牲） to achieve her goal， giving up many nights with her kids and missing important events to study. “Some nights my heart was breaking to have to pick between my kids and studying for exams or papers，” she says. However， her children have learned an important lesson seeing their mother earn her degree. Jennifer is a first-generation graduate and an inspiration to her family and that’s pretty powerful.

4. What did Jennifer do after high school？

A. She helped her dad with his work.????????????????? B. She ran the family farm on her own.

C. She supported herself through college.??????????? D. She taught her sisters and brothers at home.

5. Why did Jennifer choose the program at Ministry Saint Joseph’s Hospital？

A. To take care of her kids easily.???????????????????????? B. To learn from the best nurses.

C. To save money for her parents.??????????????????????? D. To find a well-paid job there.

6. What did Jennifer sacrifice to achieve her goal？

A. Her health.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????? B. Her fame.

C. Her time with family.?????????????????????????????????????? D. Her chance for a better job.

7. What can we learn from Jennifer’s story？

A. Time is money.???????????????????????????????????????????????? B. Hard work pays off.

C. Love breaks down barriers.????????????????????????????? D. Education is the key to success.

C

Can you think of something that has been around for thousands of years and is still used in different cultures around the world？ Something that fits this description is makeup.

Even though makeup might seem new， it was an important part of daily life in ancient Egypt thousands of years ago. At that time， both men and women things like eyeshadow， eyeliner and lipstick nearly every day.

For a better make-up result， a wealthier Egyptian woman would first clear her dead skin using salts from the Dead Sea. Then， she would use a milk-and-honey face mask to wet her skin. Taking milk baths was also a way to make the beauty routine （常規(guī)） a more luxurious experience. After all of this， the makeup could then be applied.

But people in ancient Egypt didn’t just use makeup to look more attractive. They also used it for rituals （宗教儀式）. For example， a black powder called kohl was used around the eyes to protect them from the bright desert sun. In fact， the Egyptian word for “makeup palette （調(diào)色板）” comes from a word that means “to protect”.

These makeup palettes were used to mix colored powders with animal fat or vegetable oils to make the different products. They usually had symbols of animals or gods on them. It was believed that the powers of these animals would be put into the makeup when it was mixed together， giving the wearer unusual talents.

Interestingly enough， makeup was also an important part of ancient Egyptian burial rituals. From life into death and beyond， makeup helped to shape ancient Egyptian culture. Even though makeup is still used in modern times， it is interesting to know that it is linked to the ancient world.

8. The underlined word “utilized” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by “________”.

A. bought?????????????????????? B. used?????????????????????????? C. removed??????????????????? D. changed

9. What would wealthy ancient Egyptian women do before putting on their makeup？

A. Go swimming in the Dead Sea.?????????????????????? B. Drink milk to wet their skin.

C. Remove the dead skin with honey.????????????????? D. Follow a beauty routine.

10. What did ancient Egyptians think about makeup palettes？

A. They helped deliver messages from gods.???? B. They protected them from bad luck.

C. They gave people special abilities.????????????????? D. They brought the dead back to life.

11. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Makeup in Ancient Egypt????????????????????????????? B. Changes in Ancient Egyptian Culture

C. The Rituals in Ancient Egypt???????????????????????? D. The Makeup Palettes in Ancient Egypt

D

Never play games with a bot （robot）—it will find a way to cheat if it can. A team from OpenAI， an artificial intelligence lab in San Francisco， has developed artificially intelligent bots that taught themselves to cooperate by playing hide-and-seek. The bots also learned how to use basic tools to help them win.

Bowen Baker at OpenAI and his team wanted to see if the team-based dynamics of the OpenAI Five could be used to produce skills that could one day be useful to humans.

The researchers set their bots loose in a simulated （模擬的） environment filled with fixed walls， movable boxes and ladders （梯子）， and left them to play team games of hide-and-seek. The bots each had their own view of the world and couldn’t communicate with each other directly.

At first， the hiders simply ran away. But they soon worked out that the quickest way to stop the seekers was to find objects in the environment to hide themselves from view. The seekers learned that they could move boxes around and use them to climb over walls. The bots then discovered that being a team-player—passing objects to each other or cooperating on a hideout—was the quickest way to win.

But the real surprise came when the bots started making use of problems or faults. Seekers found that if they pushed a ladder towards a wall， they could launch themselves into the air and spot hiders from above. Hiders found that they could remove the ladders by pushing them aside.

“ shows that AIs are able to find solutions that humans miss，” says Baker. “Maybe they’ll even be able to solve problems that humans don’t yet know how to.” However， it is a large leap （跳躍） from virtual hide-and-seek to real problem-solving. “The main limitation is that it is in simulation，” says Chelsea Finn at Stanford University.

12. Why did Bowen and his team conduct the research？

A. To teach bots to play games.????????????????????????? B. To train bots to use basic tools.

C. To find if bots may cheat like humans.????????? D. To see what bots can do in cooperation.

13. What is Paragraph 3 mainly about？

A. The tools of the research.?????????????????????????????? B. The design of the research.

C. The competitors of the game.???????????????????????? D. The environment of the game.

14. What does the underlined word “It” in the last paragraph refer to？

A. Making use of faults.???????????????????????????????????? B. Moving boxes around.

C. Passing objects.????????????????????????????????????????????? D. Hiding themselves from view.

15. What does Chelsea think of the finding of the research？

A. It can bridge a gap in the AI research.?????????? B. It will be seen in the real world.

C. It is hard to practice in reality.?????????????????????? D. It is problem-solving.

閱讀七選五

In an online class， developing healthy patterns of communication with professors is very important. 16 While I have only listed two of each， there are obviously many other situations that can arise. Students should be able to extend the logic （邏輯） of each to their particular circumstance.

· 17 Questions about subject content are generally welcomed. Before asking questions about the course design， read the syllabus （教學(xué)大綱） and learning management system information to be sure the answer isn’t hiding in plain sight.

· Participate in discussion forums， blogs and other open-ended forums for dialogue. 18 Be sure to stay on topic and not offer irrelevant information. Make a point， and make it safe for others to do the same.

· Don’t share personal information or stories. Professors are not trained nurses， financial aid experts or your best friends. If you are in need of a deadline （最后期限） extension， simply explain the situation to the professor. 19

· Don’t openly express annoyance at a professor or class. 20 When a student attacks a professor on the social media， the language used actually says more about the student. If there is truly a concern about a professor’s professionalism or ability， be sure to use online course evaluations to calmly offer your comments.

A. That’s what they are for.

B. Turn to an online instructor for help.

C. If more information is needed， they will ask.

D. Remember that online professors get a lot of emails.

E. Below are some common do’s and don’ts for online learners.

F. Everyone has taken a not-so-great class at one time or another.

G. Ask questions， but make sure they are good， thoughtful questions.

16._____________ 17._____________ 18._____________ 19._____________ 20._____________

（三）

閱讀理解

A

Global Canvas is an annual children’s art competition run by David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation （DSWF）. It’s a fantastic way to encourage creativity and display thought and concern for our planet’s environment and the incredible wildlife. We’re thrilled to announce entries （入口處） are now open for the DSWF Global Canvas 2022 competition， for which the theme is “Forests of Land and Sea”.

DSWF Global Canvas 2022 is free to enter and open to children aged 16 and under—either as a group or an individual. Entries for group and individual categories （類別） will be judged separately and in the following age groups： age 4—7 years， age 8—11 years， and age 12—16 years. A group entry can be any size from 2 children up to an entire school！

Any art technique is welcome. People can create an artwork of any size that they like， as long as their entry is based on the theme and the work is original. DSWF always likes to see recycled materials used wherever possible. Please note that you mustn’t send us your actual artwork， however. You need to send us a photo and video of it in addition to completing the group or individual entry form. All entries must be received digitally by 11 June， 2022.

Entries will be judged on the quality of art， understanding of the theme， creativity， and for group entries—level of teamwork. The decision of the judges will be final. Competition winners will receive vouchers （代金券） for art supplies， digital animal adoptions and certificates.

1. What can we learn about Global Canvas？

A. It costs a lot.????????????????????????????????????????????? B. It is held once a year.

C. It welcomes participants of all ages.??? D. It is intended for art talents.

2. Which of the following will fail to meet the requirements of this competition？

A. Making an artwork using recycled materials.

B. Creating an artwork with an ancient art form.

C. Delivering an original physical artwork to DSWF.

D. Sending a digital photo of a completed work on May 1st.

3. What is the extra consideration in judging a group entry？

A. Quality.????????????????? B. Cooperation.????????? C. Creativity.??????????? D. Complexity.

B

I love winter birds and I love photographing them in snow. I admit that I’m a fair-weather bird watcher. Worse， I’m a lazy， fair-weather bird watcher. I don’t like weather extremes， so when it’s very hot or really cold， it is hard to get me to leave the comfortable home. In summer， I only photograph hummingbirds （蜂鳥） in my yard， and in winter， I try to only go out on relatively warm days. Most of my bird pictures are done within an hour’s drive of my hometown of Elmira. So it’s all about finding a balance that works.

The winter of 2021 was a great period for snowy owls （雪鸮） here in Woolwich Township. One day in early January， I was on my way home from work when I noticed a beautiful snowy owl sitting in a tree right at the crossing. I pulled over to admire him， and then kept heading home unwillingly.

Two hundred meters or so down the road， there were two more snowy owls in a field by a fence， and in the next field over， another on top of a fence post. I couldn’t find words to express my feelings at that moment. Thus I rushed home， took my camera and went right back out to get some pictures. It was one of the most fantastic local birding moments I’ve ever experienced.

When I’m looking for excellent opportunities to photograph snowy owls and other birds without spending lots of hours searching for ， I head to the Canadian Raptor Conservancy （CRC） or the Mountsberg Raptor Centre. I’ve attended so many photo sessions at each of these places that I’ve lost count.

4. What will the author consider first before going to photograph birds？

A. Road conditions.?? B. Personal emotions.????????????????????????????????????? C. Weather conditions.???? D. Time arrangement.

5. How did the author feel when he saw more snowy owls on his way home？

A. Awkward.????????????????? B. Excited.????????????????? C. Anxious.????????????????? D. Afraid.

6. What does the underlined word “them” in the last paragraph refer to？

A. Opportunities.?????? B. Moments.?????????????????? C. Photos.????????????????????? D. Birds.

7. From the text， we can infer that the author_________.

A. enjoys photographing snowy owls most???? B. can take excellent photos easily

C. makes a living by photographing birds??? D. values each chance to photograph birds

C

As birth order is clearly one of the many factors that affect personality development， we should pay much attention to it. Big brothers and sisters usually develop leadership early in life， giving orders to later children like their parents. The danger is that if the older child takes that role to an extreme （極端）， he or she can become an adult.

Studies of nearly 300 people have found that firstborns are usually the most strongly desired toward achievements. This is mainly the result of parental expectations. Research also suggests that firstborn children generally become more conservative （保守的） than other children because they receive most of the parental orders and rules. Used to caring for others， they are more likely to move toward such leadership professions as teaching. Less social and flexible because they become used to acting alone in the very early years， they may have difficulty making close friends.

By contrast， the researchers say later children are more likely to be more relaxed and sociable than the eldest child because their parents are more relaxed. However， later children are often less ambitious （雄心壯志的） and may be uncomfortable making decisions for others， and will seek work that fits their needs. This may help explain why younger children prefer the creative fields such as music， art， and writing. Later children may make good sellers because persuasion may have been the only tool they had to deal with older children. Younger children tend to remain forever “the baby” enjoyable to be around， but at times too dependent on others.

8. What does the underlined word “overbearing” in Paragraph 1 mean？

A. Trying to control others in an unpleasant way.?????????????????????????????????????? B. Being unable to express real feelings.

C. Preferring the established order to change.????? D. Changing easily to adapt to new needs.

9. What is a younger child more likely to become according to Paragraph 3？

A. A scientist.??????????????? B. A doctor.?????????????????? C. A writer.??????????????????? D. A teacher.

10. Why later children may become good sellers？

A. They feel it easy to help others.???????????????????? B. They are good at persuading others.

C. They enjoy developing leadership.???????????????? D. They are more relaxed and sociable.

11. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Which Is Better： Being the Eldest or the Youngest？

B. The Relation Between Birth Order and Job Success

C. Effects of Birth Order on One’s Personality

D. Birth Order Factor in Marriage

D

Studies have shown most people fail to realize how much time they spend on their smartphones each day.

Frank and Amelia’s family were put to a test， using a free app called “Momentscreen Time Tracker”. The Vascellaros—Frank， Amelia， 14-year-old twins Frankie and Joe， and 17-year-old Sam—all said they did not really know they were spending so much time on their phones each day.

“Honestly， I don’t feel like I’m on my phone a lot，” Amelia Vascellaro said. Amelia was on her phone far less often than Frank， according to the app. While Amelia spent about an hour per day on the phone， Frank spent close to four hours on his phone—which came as a shock to him. The children’s times varied （不同） but they often spent more than a couple of hours on the phone as well.

Minneapolis-based Dr Kirsten Lind Seal sees phone usage come up a lot among families. Lind Seal said many family members’ phone use has become problematic.

“If we hear more than once， ‘Do you have to be on your phone right now？ Can you please put your phone down？ Did you hear what I said？’， it may be a sign that it is negatively influencing our family relationships and our daily lives，” she said.

Lind Seal said actually paying attention to how much time one spends on the phone is a good first step in deciding when to put it down.

She asks parents to encourage more face-to-face communication for teens and young adults as they continue developing their social and emotional skills. “What we find is that we are really losing out on empathy—the ability to understand other people’s feelings and problems—when we spend a lot of time on our smartphones to communicate with other people，” she said.

12. How did the families feel about the test results？

A. Unsatisfied.???????????? B. Doubtful.?????????????????? C. Uninterested.???????????? D. Astonished.

13. Why did Lind Seal mention the three questions in Paragraph 5？

A. To encourage people to live a simple life.

B. To ask people if they use phones too much.

C. To show the importance of close relationships.

D. To explain the signs of problematic phone use.

14. What did Lind Seal want to express in the last paragraph？

A. Communication in person should be encouraged.

B. Teens and young adults are losing out on empathy.

C. We can understand each other by using smartphones less.

D. It is important for teens to develop social and emotional skills.

15. Where is this text most likely from？

A. A diary.?????????????????? B. A guidebook.???????????? C. A fiction.?????????????????? D. A magazine.

閱讀七選五

Being a teenager can be difficult. “Troubled” and “rebellious （叛逆的）” are often labels that people give kids in their teens. There are even scientific theories explaining that the likelihood of teenagers taking risks is due to the fact that their brains aren’t fully developed yet.

But a new study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Cornell University may have finally cleared up this misunderstanding. They simply are easily attracted by new things and want to explore the world.

The adolescents （青少年） lack experience. This personality characteristic is called “sensation seeking”， which is shared by a lot of people and usually peaks during adolescence.

Instead of being something to worry about sensation seeking is actually necessary， since the process of learning usually goes hand in hand with taking risks. “Teenagers need to build experience so that they can do a better job in making the difficult and risky decisions in later life. ‘Should I take this job？’ or ‘ ’” said Valerie Reyna， co-author of the study.

“ If they don’t make a mistake in their teenage years， they will have no life experience when they turn 18 and step out of their parents’ protection and into a world that’s unknown to them. Kids need the freedom to test out boundaries （界限） while still in a safe environment，” wrote Ann Robinson， editor of .

A. Should I marry this person？

B. Teenagers should do as follows.

C. It turns out that teenagers are fine.

D. In other words， they just can’t help it.

E. Things parents can do to help the kids.

F. There’s something more scary than taking a risk.

G. Therefore， they keep trying things out for the first time in their life.

16._____________ 17._____________ 18._____________ 19._____________ 20._____________

（四）

閱讀理解

A

Here are opportunities for international student volunteers. You can apply your academic training to overall development programs in service. Group service options are explained here.

Assist at the elder care center with activities such as playing cards and swapping stories. And you can join the elders on day-trips to the local museums， parks and supermarkets. Or， help prepare， serve and deliver meals at the assisted living center on the reservation.

Blackfeet Reservation Montana? September 15—September 21

Inspire children 1 to 5 years old through doing arts and crafts， reading storybooks， playing with toys， teaching hand washing with soap and water， and more. As a volunteer in the Cook Islands， you make contributions to the future through the youngest of citizens.

Rarotonga Cook Islands? August 17—August 24

Health care volunteers are needed at the clinic， serving all of the 1，300 children of the community. To help specialists， volunteers can be engaged to help sort medicines， make cotton balls and take children’s temperature， etc. Health care volunteers do not need any special permit or license.

Lima? September 3—September 24

Started in 1996， the program is to teach English in China and build a bridge of friendship and respect. Here you teach English lessons to secondary or university students with all levels of language abilities. After school， you can join your students in a number of cultural activities to extend the day’s English lessons.

Xi’an? August 22—August 28

1. Which program will you choose if you are good at crafts？

A. Elder Assistance.????????????????????????????????????????????? B. Early Childhood Education.

C. Health Care.???????????????????????????????????????????????????? D. Teach English.

2. What can a volunteer do in Health Care？

A. Assist doctors in sorting out medicines.????????? B. Read stories to children aged one to five.

C. Participate in students’ cultural activities.??????? D. Go to the supermarket with the elders.

3. When can you volunteer at the elder care center？

A. On September 3.?????? B. On September 15.????? C. On August 17.?????????? D. On August 22.

B

I always wanted to be a firefighter. It seemed exciting to me. I like to be outside， lift heavy things and sleep on the ground！

In college， I got a job with the forest service. My first week on the job， they asked if I wanted to get my red card （training for forest fires）， I said yes！

The training was a week long. I learned about the different types of fire crew （專業(yè)團(tuán)隊(duì)） and I remember the instructor saying hotshots were the top dogs. He said they had the most difficult and dangerous job and that you had to really prove yourself in order to be a hotshot. I was sold. I didn’t want to do anything else！

However， hotshot crew don’t hire （雇傭） people without fire experience. I returned home from training to Logan where the Logan Hotshots are based. I walked in and told the boss I wanted to be a hotshot and they should keep me in mind if they needed anyone.

The very next day I got a note saying the Hotshots were looking for me！ A woman on their crew got injured and they needed a replacement... they were headed to a fire that day. They thought of me because I had just been there the day before.

We arrived at the fire near Provo， Utah at about 10 pm that night. We ended up working 40 hours， digging fire lines. I think I fell asleep standing up against my tool at one point.

My feet were covered in blisters （水皰） and the helicopter that was supposed to pick us up at the top of the mountain broke down and we had to walk miles！

To my delight， the crew liked me and hired me after that. I also met my husband that night！ How cool is that！

4. What kind of person is the author？

A. Easy-going.?????????????? B. Risk-loving.?????????????? C. Well-educated.????????? D. Simple-minded.

5. When did the author decide to become a hotshot？

A. When she started college.??????????????????????????????? B. After she returned to Logan.

C. When she did her red card training.???????????????? D. After she finished the forest service.

6. Why did the Logan Hotshots send a note to the author？

A. They wanted her to replace an injured woman.????????????????????????????????????? B. They wanted to test her skills.

C. They were satisfied with her ability.??????????????? D. They thought she was rich in experience.

7. How did the author find the firefighting that night？

A. Dangerous.??????????????? B. Exciting.??????????????????? C. Hard.???????????????????????? D. Unsuccessful.

C

Wearing a headset to play a virtual-reality game is fun. As you move your head around， you can see the scene from different angles. You’re in a fake environment that seems so real. But the power of VR may go well beyond entertainment. It just might help people who suffer from long time of pain， a new study finds.

“If VR can reduce some types of pain， it could become a new cure with fewer side effects than drugs，” says Sam Hughes， a psychologist at Imperial College London. “And it would be less expensive.”

Hughes’ group studies bone and muscle pain. One example is sciatica. Sciatica is a form of pain doctors call pain， which is different from the hurt you feel when you hit your knee against a table or put your hand in very hot water. It is fairly long-lived pain and may even spread from an initial site to other body parts.

The researchers tested the pain-altering effect of virtual reality. Each volunteer accepted some form of temporary pain. The pain came from a special cream applied to the skin. The cream contained capsaicin （辣椒素）. It’s the chemical in hot peppers that burns your mouth.

They then showed the volunteers a movie. Each volunteer would see the movie twice—once in 3-D， while wearing a VR headset， and once on a normal 2-D screen. The researchers randomly decided for each volunteer whether they watched the 2-D or 3-D version first. Using the 2-D movie as the comparison allowed them to isolate the effect of VR. Watching the movie in VR reduced the pain in the skin area better than did viewing the movie in 2-D. VR helped them tolerate （忍受） more pain in the area of the creamed skin. However， that pain reduction ended a few minutes after removing the VR headsets. The researchers wondered how well VR might reduce other types of pain.

8. What is one advantage of VR to reduce pain？

A. It’s much safer.??????????????????????????????????????????????? B. It’s much faster.

C. It’s more convenient.?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ??????? D. It’s more functional.

9. What does the underlined word “chronic” in Paragraph 3 mean？

A. Sudden. ??????????????????? B. Long-term.???????????????? C. Light.? ?????????????????????? D. Sharp.

10. Why was the special cream used in the experiment？

A. To find chemicals in hot peppers.????????????????? B. To bring comfort to volunteers.

C. To burn the volunteers’ mouth.????????????????????? D. To cause some temporary pain.

11. How was the test carried out？

A. By giving numbers.??????????????????????????????????????? B. By using examples.

C. By making a comparison.?????????????????????????????? D. By presenting research findings.

D

Heads up！ Across the country， sports injuries are a safety concern for young athletes. Now， the American Medical Association （AMA） has a new set of guidelines aimed at protecting players from the danger of concussions （腦震蕩）—serious injuries caused by a blow to the head.

“By raising awareness of the serious risks associated with concussions and ensuring that the suitable guidelines are in place， we can reduce the number of young athletes who may return to the game too soon， which can put their health at further risk，” said AMA Board Member Jack Resneck Jr. MD in a statement.

The policy recommends that young athletes who may have a concussion be taken off the field as soon as possible. Then， they are only to return to their sport with a doctor’s written approval. The policy also sets age-specific rules for health care professionals and athletic organizations in evaluating （評估） and caring for concussions.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention （CDC）， a concussion is a type of traumatic （創(chuàng)傷的） brain injury caused by a bump， blow， or jolt to the head or hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. This type of movement can cause the brain to bounce around or twist inside the skull （顱骨）. It can damage brain cells and create chemical changes in the brain.

The CDC says that between 1.6 million and 3.8 million traumatic brain injuries caused by sports and recreation-related activities occur in the US every year. A study from the Center for Injury Research and Policy showed that as many as 40% of high school athletes return to playing before they should. The AMA’s new guidelines should help to bring those numbers down.

12. Why does the AMA set the new guidelines？

A. To raise safety standards of sports.??????????????? B. To protect athletes from concussions.

C. To set rules for health care evaluation.?????????? D. To help players return to the game quickly.

13. Young athletes who may have a concussion should_________.

A. avoid using the head????????????????????????????????????? B. leave the field forever

C. get treatment in time????????????????????????????????????? D. turn to another sport

14. What is Paragraph 4 mainly about？

A. What a concussion is.???????????????????????????????????? B. What causes damage to brain cells.

C. How the CDC works.??????????????????????????????????? D. How a concussion can be prevented.

15. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Advice to Athletes???????????????????????????????????????? B. Sports Injuries in the US

C. Rules for Safer Play?????????????????????????????????????? D. New Guidelines for Doctors

閱讀七選五

While traveling， there are many safety measures that all travelers should take. Advice is highly needed on everything from what to pack to how to protect yourself. .

Don’t take the unfamiliar road. While part of the joy of exploring nature is seeing new and beautiful views， if your road trip includes a hike， stay on the marked path. Never give in to your curiosity to hike off-trail and in unfamiliar or unmarked areas. “ ，” warned by Dr Velimir Petkov.

Pack clothing. In the morning， when you set out on your adventure， your temperature will likely be comfortable. As the sun reaches its highest point， you’ll start to sweat inside your car. . That’s why experts recommend packing clothing for different temperatures.

Make sure you get enough sleep. Plenty rest is necessary before a long car ride. “Do not drive while you are feeling sleepy. ，” Petkov recommended. He also noted that even if you get the benefits of seven to eight hours of sleep， a little coffee can never hurt.

Protect your skin. You may not consider the sun while sitting in the car. The sunlight can go right through window glass and cause you to burn. . Bahar Schmidt， founder of Eluxit Travel Agency， recommends making more efforts to protect your skin with sunscreen and drugs against insects.

A. You could get lost， injured or both

B. It is a wise choice to wear strong shoes

C. You would never enjoy the views without the tips

D. If you feel like a rest， pull over and take a short break

E. And at night， certain areas experience a sharp drop in degrees

F. And mosquitoes are also drawn when you’re outdoors at night

G. We spoke with travel experts for safety guide to getting on the road

16._____________ 17._____________ 18._____________ 19._____________ 20._____________

（五）

閱讀理解

A

As well as hosting New Zealand’s largest and most populous city， the Auckland region features many attractive places.

Central Auckland is a hub （中心） of urban delights set against beautiful coastal scenery. You can take a trip up the Sky Tower， the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere. The adventurous can also try Sky Jump—New Zealand’s highest base jump—or the incredible Sky Walk where you’ll walk around the outside of the Sky Tower for extraordinary sightseeing.

Emerging unexpectedly from the sea some 600 years ago， Rangitoto， with its distinctive shape and superb location just off the coast， is the youngest and largest volcano in the Auckland volcanic field. The island is a favorite destination for hikers and day-trippers. Walk up to the top， and you can see the black lava caves （熔巖洞） on your way up and don’t forget to bring a torch to explore them with the kids.

Great Barrier Island is a large island with a small population. The wilderness areas are home to several unique plant and bird species. Most amazingly， the community on the island is not using the public supplies of electricity， gas or water， but entirely relying on renewable solar power and collection of freshwater.

In landscape， lifestyle and experience， Waiheke is a world away. The three white sandy beaches are perfect for swimming， kayaking， or having a picnic. If you’re a walker， explore the island’s tracks which wind along cliff tops and into cool native forests. At the eastern end of the island， a walkway leads you to a system of World War Ⅱ gun emplacements （炮臺） and underground tunnels.

1. Which place does an extreme sports lover probably prefer？

A. Central Auckland.???? B. Rangitoto Island.?????? C. Great Barrier Island. D. Waiheke Island.

2. What makes Great Barrier Island special？

A. Being located off the coast.???????????????????????????? B. Being energy self-sufficient.

C. Being home to endangered species.???????????????? D. Being with the least population.

3. What can visitors enjoy in both Rangitoto and Waiheke？

A. Black lava caves.????????????????????????????????????????????? B. White sandy beaches.

C. Hiking tracks.?????????????????????????????????????????????????? D. War-related sites.

B

Jon Pedley is making a big change. He is giving up his life as a successful businessman for life of helping others. He is trading his beautiful farmhouse in England for life in a mud hut （小屋） in Uganda， East Africa.

Pedley admits that he has not always led a very positive life. At times he drank too much and got in trouble with the law. “I’ve always put the pursuit （追求） of money in front of everything else. As long as I was all right， I didn’t care who I was hurting，” said Pedley.

But a visit to Uganda in 2007 gave Pedley a different attitude to life. He was amazed at what he saw and how much the people there appreciated the work he was doing. “I worked there for a few days and these people who have nothing thanked me by giving me bags of potatoes， which are a fortune for them，” he said.

Now Pedley is selling his business， his $15 million farmhouse， and his expensive car and moving into a hut made of mud and boards in a small Ugandan village. There he will help run an organization that hopes to improve the quality of life for people in the village of Kigazi. He will help to build schoolrooms for children and tanks to hold clean water for villagers. Today， people in Kigazi must walk two miles to a hospital， so Pedley will help to build doctors’ offices， too.

Pedley’s organization will also work with English teenagers who are in trouble. The teens will be sent to a “camp” in Uganda that Pedley will run. The teens will live in mud huts and help to build water， heath and education facilities for kids in Kigazi， many of whom have lost their parents due to poverty （貧窮） or disease. Pedley hopes the teens will see a side of life that might help them turn around their own lives and set them on a new and more positive path.

4. What word can best describe Pedley in the past？

A. Positive.??????????????????? B. Confident.???????????????? C. Easy-going.?????????????? D. Self-centered.

5. What will Pedley do in the small Ugandan village？

A. Grow potatoes with the local people.????????????? B. Teach English in the local school.

C. Assist villagers with construction work.????????? D. Help to attract more tourists to the village.

6. Why will Pedley work with English teenagers who are in trouble？

A. To make friends with them.???????????????????????????? B. To train them to master more skills.

C. To encourage them to live a positive life.???????? D. To provide them with job opportunities.

7. What can be a suitable title for the text？

A. A Grateful Businessman????????????????????????????????? B. A Life-Changing Adventure

C. From Richness to Poverty??????????????????????????????? D. From Millionaire to Mud Hut

C

Scientists are preparing to launch the world’s first machine to clean up the planet’s largest mass of ocean plastic.

The experts believe the machine should be able to collect half of the in the patch—about 40，000 metric tons—within five years. In the past few weeks they have been busy joining? giant tubes together that will sit on the surface of the sea and form the skeleton （構(gòu)架） of the machine， creating the largest floating barrier ever made.

The system， originally dreamt up by Mr Slat， will be shipped out this summer to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch （GPGP）， between Hawaii and California， which contains about 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic. It will be the first ever attempt to deal with the patch since it was discovered in 1997.

Mr Slat was 16 and still at school when he was diving in Greece and first saw for himself the amount of plastic polluting the sea. “There were more bags than fish down there，” he recalls. “We as humanity created this problem， so I think it’s also our responsibility to help solve it，” he says.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch covers an area of 1.6 million square kilometers and contains at least 79，000 tons of plastic， research found last month. Most of it is made up of “ghost gear”—parts of abandoned and lost fishing gear， such as nets and ropes—often from illegal fishing boats.

Ghost gear kills more than 100，000 whales， dolphins and seals each year， according to scientific surveys. Seabirds and other sea creatures are increasingly being found dead with stomachs full of small pieces of plastic. Creatures eat plastic discarded （丟棄的） in the sea thinking it’s food but then starve to death because they are not feeding properly. Others are stuck and die of starvation or are suffocated （窒息而死） by ghost gear.

8. What does the underlined word “detritus” in Paragraph 2 probably mean？

A. Waste.?????????????????????? B. Ocean.??????????????????? ?? C. System.? ??????????????????? D. Machine.

9. Which one makes up most of the plastic in Pacific from the text？

A. Shopping bags.????????? B. Giant tubes.?????????????? C. Old boats.????????????????? D. Discarded fishing gear.

10. Why do some creatures in GPGP die of starvation？

A. They have no clean water to drink.??????????????? B. They are surrounded by plastic.

C. They can not find enough food to eat.?????????? D. They have eaten pieces of plastic.

11. What is the text main about？

A. A report about the death of sea creatures.???? B. The first machine to clean up ocean plastic.

C. Information about ocean plastic.??????????????????? D. The reason for inventing a machine.

D

Britain’s first zero-carbon homes are being built—and they look like something from a science fiction movie.

There are 25 eco-friendly homes currently being built in Southmoor， near Abingdon， Oxon. Buyers are able to have the final say on floor layouts， kitchens and bathrooms. One three-bedroom home is on the market for ￡801，000， with a custom build available to suit your own specification. These eco-friendly houses are powered entirely by electricity from solar panels around the houses. They also have advanced ventilation （通風(fēng)） systems， making sure that temperatures inside the building don’t go beyond 25℃ for more than 10% of hours annually， as well as mini heat pumps to generate the heating and hot water on-site. Part of the cooling design includes avoiding east- or west-facing windows， and window shading.

And they’re in high demand （需求）. Ian Pritchett， of Ssassy Property， thinks the government should do more to promote the construction of this type of housing. “Unfortunately， the government relaxed the proposed 2016 zero-carbon targets after being lobbied （游說） by house builders，” Ian explained. “At present， the main house-building corporations control the land and only build at the rate they are sure will sell， keeping the UK’s housing shortage so that the normal rules of ‘supply and demand’ don’t apply. When there is a shortage of housing， buyers have to purchase what is available rather than what they might want.”

In any sensible society， we would expect the planning system to actively encourage zero-carbon houses， and be tough on anyone failing to deliver the necessary standard. Instead， we have a planning system that focuses on other aspects such as numbers of bedrooms， garden sizes， and parking places. These are important aspects， but they pale into insignificance compared to the? consequences of climate change.

12. What can a buyer do before buying a eco-friendly house？

A. Discuss the price.?????????????????????????????????????????? B. Choose where to build it.

C. Decide how the inside of it looks.???????????????? D. Design its ventilation system.

13. How do people react to the zero-carbon homes？

A. They like them.?????????????????????????????????????????????? B. They are uncaring about them.

C. They have doubts about them.?????????????????????? D. They are unsatisfied with them.

14. What do house-building companies intend to do？

A. Balance the “supply and demand” of houses.

B. Build more houses powered by the sun.

C. Buy more land to build more houses.

D. Make it more difficult to buy houses.

15. What is the author’s attitude towards the planning system？

A. Caring.??????????????????? B. Unsatisfied.?????????????? C. Worried.??????????????????? D. Confident.

閱讀七選五

Would you like to get funding for a project of your own—maybe a film or help for a friend in need？ Plan your pitch （宣傳）. Here are some steps you can take to make your pitch stand out in a crowd.

Nothing is more important than to be involved in a community of people with the same interest—whether it’s through articles， videos， or social media. To increase traffic for your site， try posting interviews with experts who do projects like yours. Or join in online discussions connected with your project. When you’ve built a community and kept it up， it’s time to make your pitch.

Get emotional. Funders like ideas that make them laugh or think. A lot of campaigns out there are competing for attention. And then try it out on family and friends. Not only can they give you advice， but they may also be your first funders.

Make a plan. You need to plan how the money will be spent， a timeline and the right crowd funding platform to make your pitch. Consider how much each site charges.

Keep your funders involved. Don’t just say thank you—offer rewards. Make sure that your rewards are things you can actually achieve. Funders care about your project—keep them updated， ask their advice， and suggest they tell their friends about your project.

A. Ask experts for advice.

B. Build your online community.

C. They can be as simple as a T-shirt.

D. By doing so， you can get others to support your project.

E. Work on a pitch that touches people’s hearts and minds in seconds.

F. We all want someone to accept our ideas and give us the go ahead.

G. You should also consider whether your project is successful on the sites.

16._____________ 17._____________ 18._____________ 19._____________ 20._____________

（六）

閱讀理解

A

Nowadays， our phone is capable of just about anything through various apps. Here， we’ve rounded up some of the good apps for fitness.

Seven Minute Workout aims to give you the most benefit possible in just 7 minutes through a series of quick exercises that target specific areas of your body. Workout will recommend exercise that can be done immediately， whether you’re sitting or lying down. There’s no equipment need. It’s free to use， but joining the 7 Club for $10 a month （or $60 a year） will give you access to a wider range of exercises， personal workout plans， and guidance from a personal trainer.

30 Day Fitness provides hundreds of exercises with video instructions for each of the 30 days， plus a personal workout history， so you can see how far you’ve come. You get a week for free， but it’ll cost you $5 a week for access after that.

Can’t rest your mind and body at night？ You’re not alone， as many of us suffer from an inability to switch off at night. Instead of just playing lullabies （催眠曲） at bedtime， Loona wants to help balance your mood throughout the day， keeping anxiety down and helping you to be in a stable mood at bedtime.

1. What is special about Seven Minute Workout？

A. It provides free guidance.

B. It offers free personal trainers.

C. It can make you exercise when you sleep.

D. It recommends exercise that need no equipment.

2. What’s the price of using 30 Day Fitness for a month？

A. About $5. ???????????????? B. About $10.??????????????? C. About $15. ?????????????? D. About $30.

3. What does the author think of Loona？

A. Hard.???????????????????????? B. Relaxing.?????????????????? C. Serious. ???????????????????? D. Surprising.

B

The Pacific island nation of Nauru used to be a beautiful place. Now it is an ecological （生態(tài)的） disaster area. Nauru’s heartbreaking story could have one good consequence—other countries might learn from its mistakes.

For thousands of years， Polynesian people lived the distant island of Nauru， far from western civilization. The first European to arrive was John Fearn in 1798. He was the British captain of the Hunter， a whaling ship. He called the island Pleasant Island.

However， because it was very distant， Nauru had little communication with Europeans at first. The whaling ships and other traders began to visit， bringing guns and alcohol. These elements destroyed the social balance of the twelve family groups on the island. A ten-year civil war started， which reduced the population from 1，400 to 900.

Nauru’s real troubles began in 1899 when a British mining （采礦） company discovered phosphate （磷酸鹽） on the island. In fact， it found that the island of Nauru was nearly all phosphate， which is a very important fertilizer for farming. The company began mining the phosphate.

A phosphate mine is a strip mine （露天礦）. When a company strip-mines， it removes the top layer of soil. Then it takes away the material it wants. Strip mining totally destroys the land.

In 1968， Nauru became one of the richest countries in the world. Every year the government received millions and millions of dollars for its phosphate. Unfortunately， the leaders invested the money unwisely and lost millions of dollars. Soon people realized that they had a terrible problem—their phosphate was running out. 90% of their island was destroyed and they had nothing. By 2000， Nauru was financially ruined.

4. What was Nauru probably like before the Europeans came？

A. Rich and powerful.??? ????????????????????????????????????? B. Natural and rich.

C. Peaceful and attractive.? ????????????????????????????????? D. Modern and open.

5. What is a cause of the ecological disaster in Nauru？

A. Farming activity.????????????????????????????????????????????? B. Phosphate over-mining.

C. Soil pollution.?????????????;????????????????????????????????????? D. Whale hunting.

6. What makes Nauru’s financial problem come out according to the last paragraph？

A. Its leaders misusing the money.

B. Its phosphate being used up in 1968.

C. Its leaders investing too much in the civil war.

D. Its leaders spending too much repairing the island.

7. What might be the author’s purpose in writing the text？

A. To show the importance of money.? ??????????????? B. To seek help for Nauru’s problems.

C. To give a warning to other countries.? ???????????? D. To tell a heartbreaking story of a war.

C

Vinegar （醋） is great. It makes salad， fries and dumplings taste better， and you can even clean your windows with it. And now， according to scientists， it may even help the planet’s population survive climate change.

Researchers from the RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science （CSRS） in Japan have found that growing plants in vinegar makes them more resistant to droughts. This could mean that in the future， worries about climate change affecting the world’s supply of food will be much lower.

The discovery was made after the researchers studied the Arabidopsis （擬南芥）， a plant known for its ability to survive in dry weather. It was found that when the plant was placed in drought-like conditions， it produced a chemical called acetate （醋酸鹽）—the main component （組成） of vinegar.

After discovering this， the scientists experimented further by adding acetate to the soil of other plants， before they stopped giving them water completely. After leaving the plants for 14 days， they found that the ones treated with acetate had survived， while the untreated plants had dried up and died. It’s hoped that this simple method of survival could soon be used to help farmers in dry countries keep their crops alive.

And for those of us who always forget to ask our neighbors to water our plants when we go away， hopefully this means the end of returning home from a trip to find our favorite flowers have died.

8. What can we learn about Arabidopsis from the text？

A. It produces acetate in wet conditions.????????? ?? B. It can survive in nowhere but desert.

C. It is mainly composed of acetate.???????????????????? D. It can be resistant to drought.

9. Why did the scientists add acetate to the soil？

A. To treat the dried-up plants.???????????????????????????? B. To stop watering other plants.

C. To help the crops grow stronger.????????????????????? D. To check its effectiveness to resist drought.

10. What is the author’s attitude to the discovery？

A. Objective.??????????????? B. Unsupportive.??????????? C. Optimistic.???????????????? D. Distrustful.

11. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Vinegar May End Hunger????????????????????????????? B. Vinegar and Food

C. Adapt to Climate Change????????????????????????????? D. Plants Need Water

D

Man’s relation with animals is very old. They can be traced back to the beginning of civilization. Man is the best creation and measure of all things. However， his relationship with animals is well established. Darwin believed that man has evolved from monkeys. Thus， they are our ancestors.

Man’s friendship with man may not last long， but it is of permanent nature with the domesticated （被馴養(yǎng)的） and pet animals. Domesticated creatures are never ungrateful. They will never turn . That’s why they have been so useful to mankind and live in perfect harmony with us.

In western countries cats are very popular as pets， for they kill rats and make a good constant company. Dogs are kept for protection and safety. They are matchless in faithfulness. They help in hunting， in rearing sheep and in protecting properties. They also help in detecting and tracking thieves and criminals and so on.

Horses are domesticated， for they’re well-known for their speed， strength， faithfulness and an exact road sense. Similarly， elephants have been great and reliable friends of mankind from immemorial times. An elephant is very intelligent， brave， faithful and hardworking animal. Being an intelligent animal， it never forgets both the acts of kindness and acts of wrongdoing.

Some animals serve us in a way that none can do such as donkeys and camels. In western countries cow-meat is also eaten with relish （風(fēng)味佐料）. But in India cow is worshipped （敬奉） by the Hindu as mother. Really， these animals are great and reliable friends of ours. We should always be kind to them.

12. The author mentions Darwin in Paragraph 1 to_________.

A. agree humans evolve from monkeys

B. show humans should be kind to animals

C. suggest Darwin was a biologist he respects

D. imply the relation between man and animal is close

13. What does the underlined word “hostile” probably mean in Paragraph 2？

A. Dependent.???????????? B. Grateful.??????????????????? C. Reliable.??????????????????? D. Unfriendly.

14. How does the author develop Paragraph 4？

A. By giving examples.? ???????????????????????????????????? B. By making comparison.

C. By following time order.??????????????????????????????? D. By listing different reasons.

15. What is the last paragraph mainly about？

A. Being friendly to animals.????????????????????????????? B. Western countries worshipping cows.

C. Some thing that only some animals do.????????? D. Ways to choose hardworking and clever animals.

閱讀七選五

Being in nature for kids has huge health benefits. There are many ways you can incorporate （混合） nature into your children’s lives， even if you live in the city.

Inspire curiosity by being curious yourself. A parent’s excitement can be spread to the children， and when you show respect for nature， your children follow suit. . “I don’t know！ Let’s find out together.” is a wonderful way to get the ball rolling. Be open to a mutual （共同的） adventure and allow your curious inner child to come out while you explore nature with your children.

. If you have to carpool （拼車） in the morning， turn off the devices instead and encourage your children to look out of the window. The early morning fall skies are beautiful with color and migrating birds. After all， even views of nature from the car window are calming and beneficial.

Stop thinking about nature time as leisure time. Time in nature is an essential investment in your children’s health and well-being. If you view nature time as essential to good health， you will be more likely to engage in it. ， nurturing creativity and wonder is part of your responsibility as parents.

Look at the stars. Visit your local observatory， and then drive out of the city some morning or evening for your own stargazing （天體觀察） with a blanket and telescope. Observing the stars offers a deeper and wider understanding of the universe. .

Plant a small garden. . Bean and pea plants grow quickly and can be eaten when mature， so teach your children about food and the wonder of growth.

A. Limit electronic devices while driving

B. Encourage questions you don’t know the answers to

C. If you want to raise your healthy and well-balanced children

D. If you have the space， help your children plant a few vegetables

E. It will teach teamwork， pride in the community， and family togetherness

F. If your kids are interested， encourage them to get involved in the community

G. Allow yourself to think about it， and talk to your children about that wonder

16._____________ 17._____________ 18._____________ 19._____________ 20._____________

（七）

閱讀理解

A

Knowing how to swim prevents drowning （溺水） and improves your health， fitness， and safety. To help teach New Yorkers to swim， the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation is offering swimming lessons to children （6 to 17 years old） at our indoor pools.

Free with an NYC Parks Recreation Center membership. All Learn to Swim participants， including children and their parents， must be members of the recreation （娛樂） center.

· Your child must be 6 years of age on the first day of class in order to participate in the program. Please make sure to bring a legal document （法律文件） with the date of birth listed for the child on the day of the first class. Documents will be returned after confirmation is completed.

· There are classes at two different times： on Saturdays， and after school from 4：00 pm to 5：00 pm.

· All participants must take a water test on October 30th for the fall term， January 1st for the winter term， and March 29th for the spring term to determine class level. Missing the water test will result in a first absence.

· If a child misses the water test and the first day of class， they will be dropped from the session. Participants who miss two continuous classes will be dropped from the program.

· Level Ⅰ： Children at this level learn basic skills， such as getting into and leaving the water， controlling their breath， moving through the water and what to do in case of an emergency.

· Level Ⅱ： Children at this level learn to swim without assistance. They’ll be able to understand dangerous water conditions and how to help a swimmer in a water emergency.

1. Who can take part in Learn to Swim lessons？

A. Most of the teenagers.????????????????????????????????????? B. Parents eager to learn swimming.

C. Members of the recreation center.??????????????????? D. Any student in the New York City.

2. What must participants do before swimming lessons？

A. Do a water test at home.????????????????????????????????? B. Promise not to miss classes.

C. Hand in their school reports.??????????????????????????? D. Prove their age with formal papers.

3. What will participants learn about besides swimming？

A. Ways to help when needed.???????????????????????????? B. The importance of teamwork.

C. The value of appreciation.??????????????????????????????? D. Competitive spirit.

B

Gerald Swindle was waiting to check out in a store when he noticed the elderly woman checking out in front of him was talking endlessly about herself to her cashier （收銀員）， who just stayed attentive all the time.

Gerald Swindle was a bit annoyed with how long their conversation was going. But as Gerald waited for his turn， his attitude began to change. Not only did he conclude that their conversation was very important， but found himself by what the elderly woman said once he stopped to listen.

“You were patient with this lady，” Gerald later said in a video recalling what had happened. “You did nothing but followed her conversation， listening to every word she said， and never rushing her.”

He added， “You showed me what people ought to be. Sometimes it might be the only person they talk to this week. Sometimes I need that， so I appreciate it.”

“I never expected this to come about because it was just a regular day for me. I was just doing my job，” Emily， the cashier， said.

But since posted online， the video has become popular with nearly 2 million views！ The comment section was quickly filled with others sharing how inspired they felt by Emily’s kindness.

Best of all， that elderly woman has since come back to the store several times， and the two of them are becoming quite close. “What I’ve learned is so amazing—you can have an effect on people just by being yourself working at the store，” Emily said.

4. How did Gerald act at the talk between Emily and the customer at first？

A. He listened with full attention.??????????????????????? B. He felt lucky not to be talkative.

C. He felt a little angry at the long talk.?????????????? D. He focused on his own shopping bag.

5. The underlined word “captivated” in Paragraph 2 probably means “________”.

A. stuck????????????????????????? B. inspired??????? ????????????? C. angered????????????????????? D. attracted

6. What was the post online probably about？

A. What led a store to become popular online.

B. What patience Emily showed to the customer.

C. How Emily was praised by an elderly woman.

D. How Gerald dealt with the customer attentively.

7. What did Emily learn from the story？

A. Listening to people is a skill to master.??????????? B. Caring for the old can bring benefit to us.

C. It’s sometimes easy to influence others.?????????? D. Being a cashier is a good way for connection.

C

is no ordinary tale. It’s a flavorful （好味道的） book made up of six stories， all of which have the same title， but each has a different story centering on one subject， ice cream.

One ice cream story focuses on a boy and his robot in the distant future. Another is about a father and daughter who invent an ice cream machine. My favorite story in the book talks about two sisters， Pam and Penelope， who try to enter an ice-cream-eating contest. The six stories go with black-and-white illustrations （插圖） from six different artists.

is inventive and fun. Its author， Adam Rubin， has a lot of experience when it comes to writing about food. His most famous children’s book is . It was a No. 1 best-seller. “I like to write about food because it’s universally beloved by people of all different cultures，” Rubin says. “It’s something we can all relate to.”

Rubin hopes inspires kids to write. Its jacket turns into an envelope in which readers can send him their stories. Rubin says writers should write about things they like. “If you’re trying to write something that someone else likes， you might not get it right. Then no one’s happy，” he says. “But if you focus on writing about something that you like， then it’s fun. When it makes you happy， your writing will bring joy.”

I recommend to anyone who likes creative storytelling. The book goes down just like ice cream; smooth， enjoyable， and with a pleasant aftertaste.

Rubin’s favorite flavor of ice cream？ “Chocolate chip，” he says. Don’t tell him， but the best flavor is actually birthday cake！

8. Why does Adam Rubin like writing about food？

A. People around the world show interest in it.?? B. It is the material base of human life.

C. It is the symbol of different cultures.?????????????? D. Many different books focus on it.

9. What does Adam Rubin inspire children to write about？

A. Something connected with food.???????????????????? B. What other people like.

C. What happens to them.???????????????????????????????????? D. Something they enjoy.

10. What can we learn about from the text？

A. It has six stories with different titles.??????????? B. It contains many colorful illustrations.

C. It is a No. 1 best-seller.?????? D. It is written in a style of creative storytelling.

11. What does the text mainly talk about？

A. Six flavors in one book.???????????????????????????????? B. Adam’s favorite story in a book.

C. The best flavor of ice cream.????????????????????????? D. The writer of No. 1 best-seller.

D

Science museums are amazing. You can learn so much at a science museum if you live close enough to one to visit on family outings or school trips. In fact， 12 of the 20 most visited museums in the US are science museums according to .

“If you don’t live in or near a large city， you may not get a chance to visit a science museum or any museum. So， while the content is extremely important， their impact is limited. There just aren’t enough science museums，” said Charles Philipp， one of the founders of MICRO， “and with the high costs required to run traditional museums， it’s unlikely that well to be seeing a bunch of new traditional science museums appearing all over the country anytime soon.”

Philipp and his partner Amanda Schochet decided to reinvent science museums by micro-sizing them. They launched MICRO， a non-profit organization that builds tiny six-foot-tall—about the size of a typical vending machine （自動售賣機(jī)）—science museums that are portable and replicable （可復(fù)制的）. The plan is to engage people of all ages with science and to do it completely free in places where people are， such as waiting rooms of hospitals， libraries， airports， and even shopping malls.

To make the museums a reality， they gathered a team of engineers， storytellers， and designers. MICRO’s museums are site-tested and lasting. Each of the micro museums explores a scientific topic. For example， the Smallest Mollusk Museum explores the world of mollusks （軟體動物） and is actually the only museum devoted only to mollusks; the Perpetual Motion Museum focuses on physics and engineering. New museums are planned to explore fun topics in the sciences.

“Our goal is that within five years， we will actually be the most visited museums in the country，” Schochet said. “Our museums are very small， but our dreams for this are huge.” Hopefully one will come to a neighborhood near you soon.

12. What did Charles Philipp say about traditional science museums？

A. They are limited with exhibitions.????????????????? B. They are expensive to manage.

C. They are located far from urban areas.?????????? D. They are developing quickly in the US.

13. What is MICRO aimed at？

A. Helping the public get knowledge about mollusks.

B. Making visits to science museums affordable.

C. Building vending machines in science museums.

D. Making more people understand science museums easily.

14. What does the author want to explain by mentioning the two museums in Paragraph 4？

A. Every micro museum has a different theme.

B. They are the most visited museums in the US.

C. Every micro museum tends to have a different size.

D. They are the wisdom of people from all walks of life.

15. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Popular Science Museums Meet a Big Challenge

B. Traditional Museums Remain Irreplaceable

C. Science Museums Regain Their Popularity

D. Tiny Science Museums Have Big Ideas

閱讀七選五

You learn， connect with friends and play games online. Just as you look both ways before crossing the street， be sure you are using the Internet more safely. These tips， based on the latest research， will help you stay fun and safe online.

Be your own person. Don’t let friends or strangers pressure you to be someone you aren’t. You may be Internet smart， but people and relationships change， and unexpected stuff can happen on the Internet.

Be nice online. People who are annoying and aggressive （挑釁的） online are at greater risk of being bullied （欺凌） themselves. If someone is mean to you， try not to react. Talk to a trusted adult or a friend who can help. Use privacy tools to block the meanies （刻薄鬼）.

Passwords are private. Don’t share your password even with friends. One trick： Create a sentence like “I graduated from King School in 15” for the password “IgfKSi15”.

It may be fun to check out new people for friendship or romance. But be aware that， while some people are nice， others act nice because they’re trying to get something. Praising or supportive messages may be more about controlling than friendship or romance.

Avoid in-person meetings. The only way someone can physically harm you is if you’re both in the same location， so—to be 100% safe—don’t meet them in person. If you really must get together with someone you “met” online， don’t go alone. Have the meeting in a public place.

A. And know your limits.

B. Read between the “l(fā)ines”.

C. Think about what you post.

D. And bring some friends along.

E. Don’t think that others have better lives than you do.

F. Pick one you can remember but no one else can guess.

G. Or at least treat people the way you’d want to be treated.

16._____________ 17._____________ 18._____________ 19._____________ 20._____________

（八）

閱讀理解

A

Many art museums offer virtual tours and other ways to access （訪問） their collections. Here are some museums you can virtually visit from the comfort of your home.

One of the most famous and largest museums in the world， the Louvre， offers a selection of online tours of its exhibition rooms， galleries， and even its glass pyramid （金字塔）. For example， explore the recently restored Galerie d’Apollon. Access the virtual Louvre by going directly to the museum’s website for online tours.

The Met has a collection that represents more than 5，000 years of art worldwide. Online， the museum has six videos that explore different parts of the museum through their Met 360° Project. The app and website 82nd and Fifth has its own collection of short videos， each focused on specific pieces in the collection， while MetKids features online art-related activities for little ones.

While you may not be able to see the famous building first hand， you can view more than 1，700 pieces of art by 625 artists from the museum’s various locations through the Guggenheim’s online collection on your computer. The pieces are searchable by artist， medium， time period， movement， and special collection.

The major works of great Dutch painters are on display in the Rijksmuseum. Besides a visit in person， you can still see the museum’s highlights virtually. You can also walk through the museum virtually， thanks to Google’s street view.

1. How can one access short videos about specific objects in the collection？

A. Through MetKids.??????????????????????????????????????????? B. Through 82nd and Fifth.

C. By using Met 360° Project.????????????????????????????? D. By visiting Galerie d’ Apollon.

2. Which museum has more than one location？

A. The Louvre.????????????????????????????????????????????????????? B. The Guggenheim.

C. The Rijksmuseum.??????????????????????????????????????????? D. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

3. What can visitors enjoy on a virtual visit to the Rijksmuseum？

A. The glass pyramid and Galerie d’Apollon.????? B. Over 5，000 years of art around the world.

C. Important works of great Dutch painters.??????? D. Over 1，700 pieces of art by 625 artists.

B

Lily-Mae is 4 years old. Her reading age is 9. At home， she is a happy， confident child with a strong personality. She is a quick learner. She has a very good memory and is curious about the world. She taught herself to read at the age of 3 and particularly loves anything about engineering or science. She loves to work by herself， keeping herself busy and finding solutions to problems.

Lily-Mae is studying in a small primary school. She says she loves school but tells her mother that some lessons are boring. She is struggling to make friends with her classmates and is the happiest around children who are a couple of years older than her.

Her class teacher has noticed that even though Lily-Mae leaves the impression that she isn’t listening in class， she can later recall any of the taught knowledge when asked.

Although Lily-Mae has advanced reading skills， she is struggling with her motor skills （運(yùn)動技能） and is having difficulty learning to write. She can recognize the letters but trying to copy them leaves her frustrated （懊惱的） and angry. She is starting to misbehave in class and lose interest in her work.

Lily-Mae’s mother and her school are both concerned that she is losing interest in learning at such an early age， but they have put it down to different reasons. Lily-Mae’s mother feels that boredom is a big factor. She feels that Lily-Mae would be much more motivated （有積極性的） if she had more interesting work. School， however， argues that she needs to be able to express what she knows through her writing; therefore， they are focusing only on developing her writing skills.

4. What is mainly discussed about Lily-Mae in Paragraph 1？

A. Her amazing talents.???????????????????????????????????????? B. Her special interests.

C. Her strange characters.???????????????????????????????????? D. Her important achievements.

5. What does Lily-Mae’s class teacher think of her？

A. She has special learning abilities.???????????????????? B. She cannot get along with others.

C. She is a girl of few words.?????????????????????????????? D. She always listens carefully.

6. What is Lily-Mae’s real problem？

A. She is almost losing interest in everything.

B. She has difficulty staying focused in class.

C. She has trouble in communicating with others.

D. She is less developed in some aspects than others.

7. Lily-Mae’s mother and her school differ in_________.

A. how to motivate Lily-Mae more

B. where Lily-Mae’s real interests lie

C. how to develop Lily-Mae’s writing skills

D. what leads to Lily-Mae’s losing interest in learning

C

Swimming is a wonderful thing for me—exercise， reflection and alone time. The only thing that can ruin a swim is when I shift my attention from my lane （泳道） to what’s happening in the lanes next to me. I can catch myself racing the person next to me， or comparing our movements.

Comparison is actually not an emotion. Researchers explain that comparing the self with others is a common social phenomenon.

Comparison is the desire for consistency （一致性） from one side and competition from the other—it’s trying to be like everyone else， but better. When we compare ourselves with others， we are ranking around a specific collection of “alike things”. I’m not swimming against Katie Ledecky’s times. I’m just interested in the stranger in the lane next to me. When we compare， we want to be the best of our group. It’s not to be yourself and respect others for being genuine， but to win. I want to swim the same workout as you， and beat you at it.

In general， however， social comparisons are not connected with life satisfaction or the positive emotions of love and joy but are connected with the negative emotions of fear， anger， shame and sadness.

Here’s what makes all of this really difficult： Many social psychologists consider social comparison something that happens to us. More often than not， we don’t even know we’re doing it. This lack of awareness can lead to us showing up in ways that are hurtful to ourselves and others.

So we get to choose how we’re going to let it affect us. My new strategy is to look at people in the lane next to me， and say to myself， as if I’m talking to them， “Have a great swim.” That way， I accept the inevitable （不可避免的） and make a clear decision to wish them well， and return to my swim. So far， it’s working pretty well.

8. What can we learn about comparison according to the author？

A. It is nothing but an emotion.??????????????????????????? B. It is trying to be the true self.

C. It is to be different and be the best.???????????????? D. It is to fit in and be like others.

9. How does the author feel about social comparison according to the text？

A. Critical.???????????????????? B. Doubtful.?????????????????? C. Favorable.????????????????? D. Unconcerned.

10. What is the feature of social comparison in the eyes of many psychologists？

A. Its emotional influence.????????????????????????????????? B. Its unavoidability.

C. Its cultural root.????????????????????????????????????????????? D. Its uncertainty.

11. Why is swimming frequently mentioned in the text？

A. To use it as an example to support an opinion.

B. To present a social viewpoint on a sport issue.

C. To describe the right process of solving a problem.

D. To show love for sports with a personal experience.

D

Australia officially listed koalas across its eastern coast as “endangered” on Friday. Conservationists said koala populations had crashed in much of eastern Australia over the past two decades， warning that they were now sliding towards extinction.

The koala， a globally recognized symbol of Australia’s unique wildlife， had been listed as “vulnerable” （易危） on the eastern coast just a decade earlier. “We are taking extraordinary action to protect the koala，” the Minister of Environment， Sussan Ley said， highlighting a recent government promise of Aus$50 million to protect and recover koala habitats.

Environmentalists welcomed the koalas’ new status （地位） but blamed Australia’s failure to protect the species so far. “Koalas have gone from no-listing to vulnerable to endangered within a decade. That is a shockingly fast decline，” said WWF-Australia conservation scientist Stuart Blanch. “Today’s decision is welcome， but it won’t stop koalas from sliding towards extinction unless it’s accompanied by stronger laws to protect their forest homes.”

Alexia Wellbelove of the Humane Society International said east coast koalas could be extinct by 2050 if no action was taken. “，” she said. “The extinction of koalas does not have to happen，” she added. “We must stop allowing their homes to be cleared for mines， new houses， agricultural projects and industrial logging （伐木）.”

Australia’s koalas had been living on a “knife edge” even before the “Black Summer” bush fires of 2019—2020 because of land-clearing， drought， disease， car strikes and dog attacks， said Josey Sharrad， wildlife campaign manager at the International Fund for Animal Welfare. “We should never have allowed things to get to the point where we are at risk of losing a national symbol，” Sharrad said. “The bushfires were the final straw （稻草）. This must be a wake-up call to Australia and the government to move much faster to protect critical habitat from development and land-clearing， and seriously deal with the impacts of climate change.”

12. Why did Environmentalists welcome the koala’s new status？

A. To stop koalas from being killed.?????????????????? B. To call to protect koalas.

C. To blame the government’s failure.??????????????? D. To recover koala’s living places.

13. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4 probably mean？

A. Land-clearing costs a lot of money.?????????????? B. Homes for koalas should be offered.

C. Land-clearing can cause koalas to die out.???? D. Little money can be spent on wildlife protection.

14. How does Sharrad feel about the present state of Koalas？

A. Disappointed.????????? B. Concerned.??????????????? C. Frightened.??????????????? D. Satisfied.

15. What can be the best title for the text？

A. Koalas： Australia’s National Symbol?????????;??? B. Koalas Will Live on a Knife Edge

C. Bushfires： Koala Killers in Australia????????????? D. Australia Lists Koalas as Endangered

閱讀七選五

Sometimes we follow certain family traditions because we simply have nothing else to put in its place. However， when there are changes in the family， it forces us to examine our old traditions. So how do you find new traditions to introduce？

There’s no point throwing the baby out with the bath water， so think of any traditions from your past that you do want to carry on. You can pick out the best and leave those you are not so fond of behind.

Tailor （制定） around your family’s likes and interests. It is a sure-fire way to ensure everyone is going to enjoy themselves and maybe even continue the tradition. Whatever your family enjoy， you can personalize your tradition to involve the elements that the whole family enjoy.

Search the world for ideas. It doesn’t mean you can’t adopt a foreign idea just because it isn’t your culture. No matter what the foreign traditions are， there’s no reason why you can’t make them yours also.

Do what your friends do. One way to find ideas is to ask friends what they do. And the conversation with them could even bring an invitation to join them in their traditions.

Finding the right traditions that work for your family can take some time to figure out. For it to become a tradition， it needs to be continued year after year. So， before you make the final decision， try it out for fit for a few years and think about how it will work in the future.

A. Keep it achievable for the long term.

B. Take the best of the old， and leave the rest.

C. Take inspiration from your family members.

D. So it doesn’t matter if it looks different to other families.

E. There are different cultures and traditions around the world.

F. However， family traditions mean something special to your family.

G. Generally， they could help come up with local activities and suggestions.

16._____________ 17._____________ 18._____________ 19._____________ 20._____________

（九）

閱讀理解

A

We helped on a nature reserve for a week. We did different things every day， including cutting the reeds （蘆葦） by the lake. Every day， we took turns to cook， in teams of five. When it was our team’s turn， we made a simple dinner of pasta and salad for everyone. Judging by the fact that there was none left， we didn’t do too badly！

—Adam

We stayed with families who had kids of our own age， and because they were on a mid-term break， they came with us on all the trips. So except when we were actually in a language class， we were spending time with our new friends. It was a great way to practice English we had been working on in the classroom.

—Oliver

Every morning we had the same breakfast， and then cleaned up the camp. When it was all completely tidy， we could head off for the day. The first time we went into the city， we were put into teams and given lists of things to spot， like statues， squares and other landmarks. With some help from the locals， my team found almost all of the things on our list and came second. We went to different museums and galleries in and around the city every day. It was a great chance to learn about another country and its history.

—Sarah

1. What do we know about the food Adam’s team made？

A. It tasted bad.??????????????????????????????????????????????????? B. It was popular.

C. It seemed unhealthy.??????????????????????????????????????? D. It was Adam’s favorite.

2. What did Oliver find great？

A. Staying with the local families.??????????????????????? B. Helping the kids learn English.

C. Making friends with the locals.??????????????????????? D. Practicing English with the locals.

3. What did Sarah’s team do？

A. They helped protect wild animals.?????????????????? B. They took a language course.

C. They made a cultural tour.??????????????????????????????? D. They enjoyed the natural scenery.

B

When the fork was stolen off Bart Michiels’s mountain bike last summer， he wheeled it nearly three miles from his home in Chelsea to Frank’s Bike Shop on the eastern end of Grand Street.

Mr Michiels passed many other bike shops along the way， including one that offers free coffee. But for 20 years， he has remained devoted to Frank’s. “Frank’s the man，” he said of Frank Arroyo， the owner. “I don’t care where he is in the city—I’ll go.”

Mr Michiels doesn’t have to worry about Mr Arroyo’s relocating. The shop has stayed on the Lower East Side of Manhattan for 40 years.

After Mr Michiels left， Marvin Priess arrived. A professor of chemistry and math， Mr Priess wheeled in the Ross 18-speed he had bought at Frank’s in 1978 and still rides today， at age 68. Mr Priess said that over the years， every single part of it that couldn’t be repaired had been replaced， sometimes more than once， at Frank’s. Customers don’t come for the ambience （環(huán)境）. It’s crowded and dirty; buckets of parts and boxes of training wheels line the entryway.

The store is filled with about 500 bikes and you will find Mr Arroyo， 72， six days a week. He has been in the bike business since age 14. Born and raised on the Lower East Side， he has employed and taught many young people in the neighborhood. He is also willing to repair bikes in any condition， as well as his neighbors’ walkers and wheelchairs.

English Epps， a lawyer， needed a new seat; his had been stolen. “I’ve been coming here since I was in the third grade，” he said， adding， “There’s a new bike shop on Delancey Street， but everybody comes here.”

4. Why did Bart Michiels wheel his bike to Frank’s Bike Shop？

A. It is near his home.?????????????????????????????????????????? B. It offers free coffee.

C. Its owner is his friend.????????????????????????????????????? D. Its service is excellent.

5. What can we learn about Mr Priess’s bike？

A. It is too old to ride.????????????????????????????????????????? B. It is dirty but fashionable.

C. It was recently bought at Frank’s.??????????????????? D. It has gone through many repairs.

6. What words can best describe Mr Arroyo？

A. Skilled and caring.?????????????????????????????????????????? B. Careful and brave.

C. Positive and talkative.????????????????????????????????????? D. Well-educated and friendly.

7. What can we infer from English Epps’s words？

A. Bike repair is needed badly.???????????????????????????? B. Frank’s Bike Shop is popular.

C. There is little market for new bikes.???????????????? D. Frank’s Bike Shop faces strong competition.

C

In a small house in Belgrade， a teenage girl is drying her hair， while two others eat nearby. Several boys are having their temperature tested at the door. It is another busy day for Svratiste， which is Belgrade’s first center for children who live on the streets. For years， the building has provided warmth and shelter for the city’s most ignored children.

Since opening in 2007， Svratiste has welcomed hundreds of children， some as young as five years old. They come here to warm up， wash or eat. The kids that come to the center are all aged 5 to 15. What’s common for all of them is that they work in the street and live in extreme poverty. Also very few ever go to school.

Svratiste’s team of 13 social workers， psychologists and other experts have welcomed more than 1，400 children over the years. Money for the group’s operations comes from donations. Some people regularly bring in clothes and other aid. The group recently set up another center in a new part of town. Usually， the two centers are open every day. But both were because of restrictions when the COVID-19 pandemic （流行病） started. When Belgrade reopened， most of the children came back.

The Svratiste team has tried to help the children get to know their city by visiting playgrounds and theaters. An important effort has been to include them in the education system and make sure they stay. Bosko Markovic， now 18， first came to Svratiste five years ago. With the center’s help， he has finished high school and now wants to be a policeman. Therefore， Svratiste has made him a better person.

8. What can we learn about Svratiste？

A. It is a barbershop free for kids.??????????????????????? B. It is a place for poor and homeless kids.

C. It is a street full of working kids.???????????????????? D. It is a restaurant designed for kids.

9. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about？

A. The kids Svratiste helps.????????????????????????????????? B. The way Svratiste helps the kids.

C. The efforts Svratiste has made.??????????????????????? D. Svratiste team members.

10. What does the underlined phrase “sealed off” in Paragraph 3 mean？

A. Changed.???????????????? B. Divided.??????????????????? C. Closed.????????????????????? D. Polluted.

11. What can we infer about Bosko Markovic？

A. He has an impractical dream.???????;????????????????? B. He will repay Svratiste for its help.

C. He benefits a lot from Svratiste.??????????????????? D. He plans to attend college in his city.

D

A big part of the Pacific Ocean is suffering from a huge sea of plastic garbage （垃圾）， which some scientists think is as large as the United States， but almost no one noticed it until 1997.

Charles Moore was the captain of a sailboat that had just completed a race. He planned to sail home from Hawaii to California. He didn’t follow the usual route to the south， and then east， but sailed directly east—a slower route with weak winds and few visitors. So Moore was sailing into almost unknown waters.

To his shock， Moore found a “soup” of plastic garbage under the ocean’s surface. Everyday plastic garbage， such as shopping bags and water bottles， were trapped among the tiny pieces. The sea of garbage reached out as far as Moore could see.

Oceanographers （海洋學(xué)家） are not surprised that garbage collects in the North Pacific. A pattern of winds and currents （水流）， called the North Pacific Gyre， gathers this garbage. Water in the gyre goes round and round in a clockwise pattern， and anything that gets into the middle of it is trapped.

Some oceanographers have questions to Moore. Why didn’t satellite pictures show the area？ Where did all this plastic come from？ Is it really a problem？ Moore learned some answers during return trips to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Satellites don’t see the plastic because most of it is hidden under the ocean’s surface. Some of the plastic comes from ships， but most of it is washed into the ocean from cities beside the Pacific.

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a real problem because the plastic in it is harmful to animals. Once fish and birds eat the plastic， poisonous chemicals will get into their bodies and make them sick or even kill them.

12. When did Charles Moore find the Great Pacific Garbage Patch？

A. On his way home.????????????????????????????????????????? B. During one of his races.

C. While doing an oceanic survey.????????????????????? D. After coming across bad weather.

13. What gathered the plastic garbage in the North Pacific？

A. Sea animals.??????????? B. Business ships.?????????? C. Oceanographers.??????? D. Winds and currents.

14. What question would some oceanographers ask Moore？

A. What harm can the garbage do？???????????????????? B. Why didn’t Moore report earlier？

C. Why is the garbage under the water？???????????? D. What use can be made of the garbage？

15. What should be the best title for the text？

A. A Great Discovery???????????????????????????????????????? B. An Ocean of Plastic

C. The Origins of Ocean Pollution????????????????????? D. The Mysteries of the Ocean System

閱讀七選五

A good night’s sleep is one of the best things for your health. The following steps might help you enjoy a good sleep.

（慣例）.

It could be as simple as washing your face or brushing your teeth. As you begin to move into your “nightly routine”， your mind will know that it’s time to sleep.

Some experts believe sleepiness comes in cycles （周期）. If you know the cycles in your body clock， you can use them to your advantage. If not， it might be a long time before you’re ready for sleep again.

Put your clock under your bed or on the bottom shelf of your bedside cabinet， where its light won’t disturb you. That way， if you wake up in the middle of the night， or have problems in sleeping， you won’t worry about how late it is and how much sleep you’re missing.

First， take any unnecessary things away from your bedroom—they stand in the way of a good night’s sleep. It’s a reminder of sleep.

（枕頭）

One study found that neck pillows can actually improve the quality of your sleep as well as reduce neck pain. It should provide neck support and be washable.

A. Hide your clock.

B. Change some of your habits.

C. You probably can’t fall asleep very easily.

D. When sleepiness comes， get to bed in time.

E. Then paint your room a relaxing color， like green.

F. The best neck pillow should be soft and not too high.

G. This is something you do every night before going to bed.

16._____________ 17._____________ 18._____________ 19._____________ 20._____________

（十）

閱讀理解

（by Chavonne D. Stewart， Jasmine Mills， published in 2014）

Enter for a chance to win a copy of the book. It is the first book in a surprising series of children’s books. That’s fun and exciting and teaches kids valuable lessons.

（by Cammie McGovern， published in 2017）

Chester has always wanted to become a service dog. A family adopts him to be a companion （同伴） for their ten-year-old son， Gus. But Gus acts so differently from anyone Chester has ever met. He never wants to pet Chester. Chester’s not sure how to help Gus， but he’s determined to figure it out and show he’s the right dog for the job.

（by Terri Libenson， published in 2017）

The novel tells the story of two totally different little girls in a class—quiet， shy and artistic Emmie and popular， outgoing， athletic Katie and how their lives unexpectedly connect one day， when an embarrassing note falls into the wrong hands. Emmie eventually learns to speak up for herself， realizing that being social isn’t as impossible as she thought.

（by Terry Fan， Eric Fan， published in 2018）

Finn lives by the sea and the sea lives by him. Every time he looks out of his window， it’s a constant reminder of the stories that his grandfather told him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. Finn’s grandfather has gone but Finn knows the perfect way to honor him. He’ll build his own ship and sail out to find this magical place himself！

1. What can we learn about ？

A. It is about two little girls.???????????????????????????????? B. It is probably available for free.

C. It is mainly about teachers’ lessons.???????????????? D. It is the first children’s book in 2014.

2. Who wrote the story about the relationships between classmates？

A. Terri Libenson.???????????????????????????????????????????????? B. Cammie McGovern.

C. Terry Fan and Eric Fan.??????????????????????????????????? D. Chavonne D. Stewart and Jasmine Mills.

3. Which book is related to the loss of loved ones？

A. .?????????????????????????????????????????????? B. .

C. .???????????????????????????????????????????? D. .

B

Lizzy Brown， a 48-year-old mother from Yorkshire， was diagnosed with cancer when she was 14 years old. She was admitted to a hospital in Cambridge in 1989， where she was told that she shouldn’t expect to survive into adulthood.

While being monitored at the hospital， Ms Brown was looked after by a kind nurse called Debbie Bye. Ms Brown has never forgotten the good care that Ms Bye provided during her time of need. “My prognosis （預(yù)斷） was very poor，” Ms Brown said. “I wasn’t expected to live more than five years， but now I’m 48 with three children and there’s not a wheelchair in sight. She might have thought she was doing her job but it went above and beyond that. I remember watching Debbie work and being so inspired by the way that she did things. She showed me that children are children no matter what is wrong with them and she treated us all the same.”

The childhood cancer survivor always wondered what had happened to the nurse over the years， which is why she decided to put a call out on the Internet. Ms Brown posted an appeal to find Ms Bye， with her appeal being shared more than 1，000 times. Her action proved successful， as the two women were eventually able to make contact thanks to the power of social media.

“To be there when Lizzy was given her prognosis was something I will never forget，’’ said Ms Bye， who has since retired from hospital work and now works part-time in a school. “She was a teenager in denial and over the years I have often wondered what happened to her and came to the only conclusion I could and thought she had passed away. .”

4. What can we learn about Ms Bye？

A. She was kind and humorous.?? ??????????????????????? B. She worked whole-heartedly as a nurse.

C. She helped raise money for sick children.??????? D. She spent plenty of time caring for Lizzy Brown.

5. What did Lizzy Brown do to find Ms Bye？

A. She turned to the Internet.?????????????????????????????? B. She visited many places.

C. She asked relatives for help.????????????????????;???????? D. She put out a request in local papers.

6. The underlined sentence “I am blown away” in the last paragraph suggests Ms Bye felt_________.

A. nervous????????????????????? B. pitiful???????????????????????? C. excited?????????????????????? D. scared

7. What is the purpose of the text？

A. To report a moving reunion.???????????????????????????? B. To warn us of the danger of cancer.

C. To show us how to live a healthy life.????????????? D. To give advice on how to treat nurses.

C

Sue Hendrickson is a self-taught fossil hunter （化石搜尋者）. As a kid， Sue Hendrickson often walked with her head down. “People said， ‘Look up. Smile！’” she says. “Now， I realize I was born to look for things and just didn’t know it.”

Sue Hendrickson does more than look—she finds valuable things： Shipwrecks （沉船） with treasure， ancient sunken cities， and in 1990， she found Sue， the world’s largest， most complete Tyrannosaurus rex （霸王龍）.

“I limit the area where I’m going to look，” she says. No one knew the location of the sunken ship San Diego in the Philippines. For a year， Hendrickson and other researchers searched papers and sailors’ diaries. “The descriptions of the ship’s sailors led us to the wreck，” she says. The team also used a tool that can respond to metal. This tool found the San Diego. All the work paid off. The 400-year-old ship was complete， with valuable gold and silver coins.

To find the dinosaur she calls “the biggest animal that ever walked on Earth”， Hendrickson started with maps made to search for oil. What Hendrickson found was the largest and most complete T-rex found to date. The T-rex is 42 feet long with 200 bones！ Because it is so complete， scientists were able to infer that Sue walked at about 6 miles per hour and did not run faster than 15 miles an hour. Before Sue was discovered， they thought T-rex was much faster. To learn more about T-rex Sue， go to the Field Museum in Chicago.

There’s plenty left to be found， Hendrickson says， including answers to mysterious questions such as how T-rex lived. “I tell kids that they need to grow up and work them out because all of us old persons haven’t yet！”

8. What is Paragraph 2 mainly about？

A. An ancient city.??????????????????????????????????????????????? B. Hendrickson’s hobby.

C. The world’s largest T-rex.??????????????????????????????? D. Hendrickson’s findings.

9. How did Hendrickson find the sunken ship San Diego？

A. With a self-made tool.????????????????????????????????????? B. With the help of oil maps.

C. By starting with research.???????????????????????????????? D. By following sailors’ lead.

10. What can we learn about T-rex Sue？

A. It was the biggest dinosaur.?????? ??????????????????? B. It ran faster than any other T-rex.

C. It let people know how T-rex lived.?????????????? D. It helped scientists learn about T-rex.

11. What does Hendrickson advise kids to do？

A. Explore mysteries.????????????????????????????????????????? B. Respect scientific research.

C. Visit the Field Museum.???????????????????????????????? D. Learn more about fossil hunting.

D

Birds’ feathers are some of the most strikingly variable animal features that can be observed by the eyes. The patterns that we see in birds’ feathers are made up of combinations of scales， bars， and patches （斑點(diǎn)）.

We already know why birds have colored feathers. Generally， the color of feathers may protect a bird from being noticed by the enemy in the environment， or can make a bird more appealing to potential mates by helping them to stand out. These aspects are well known. A greater mystery has been how the patterns are created.

Dr Ismael Galván and his team studied the color of feathers to see what types of colors were present in birds’ complex feather patterns. The study shows they mainly consist of two types of colors： melanin （黑色素）， which produces a range of black， grey， brown， and orange color， and carotenoids （類胡蘿卜色素）， which are used to create brighter colors.

Birds cannot produce carotenoids on their own. For feathers with bright colors， birds must consume food items that contain these paints， and the carotenoids circulate through the blood to the feather. Melanin， on the other hand， is produced by special cells in the birds’ bodies.

The team found that about 32% of the species studied have complex color patterns， with the vast majority of these complex patterns produced by melanin rather than carotenoids. If the birds were artists， they would use carotenoids as a broad brush to produce color patches， with melanin as a detail paint brush to produce more complex designs.

But a few birds are exceptions to this rule： Three bird families do have complex patterns without melanin.

12. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 refer to？

A. The color.??????????????? B. The enemy.??????????????? C. The feather.?????????????? D. The environment.

13. What will happen if birds can’t get enough carotenoids？

A. They’ll be discovered more easily.???????????????? B. They’ll get less bright colors.

C. They’ll gradually die out.?????????????????????????????? D. They’ll have more patches.

14. What can we learn about birds from Paragraph 5？

A. They have complex color patterns.???????????????? B. Melanin plays a greater part in their colors.

C. They are expert in choosing colors.??????????????? D. 32% of their color patterns are from carotenoids.

15. What can be the best title for the text？

A. How Do Birds Tell Different Colors？?????????? B. Why Birds Have Colored Feathers？

C. Which Color Is Common to Birds？??????????????? D. How Do Birds Get Their Colors？

閱讀七選五

Lots of people give you advice on overcoming fear. However， I want to tell you that a world without fear would be more dangerous， less rewarding. So we want to treat fear as a friend？ Here are three reasons.

Think about it. Do you get more nervous when you meet the girl （or guy） of your dreams？ Which is more fearful， talking to the boss of your company or to some of your friends？ If you didn’t have fear to guide you， you might not know that！ Not so bad， right？

Next， fear encourages us to take action. Fear is a call to action. In the past， our ancestors didn’t run away in fear when they saw a tiger running toward them but tried to kill it for food. Now， most of us don’t face serious danger like hungry tigers every day， but we do face serious bosses or public speaking. So， what can we do？

Lastly， fear lets you know you are alive. Why do we like roller coasters （過山車）？ Same for horror movies.

So fear can guide you toward what’s important for you and encourage you to take action to improve. Don’t we all need that kind of friend？

A. Don’t fear to be wrong.

B. It frightens us in a mostly safe way.

C. Imagine what life would be like without fear.

D. The first is that fear is an excellent guide to opportunity.

E. They say if you can overcome fear， you will be successful.

F. Fear is showing you what is important and what matters to you.

G. Let fear provide us with the energy to do what needs to be done.

16._____________ 17._____________ 18._____________ 19._____________ 20._____________