Winter Olympic Events

The International Olympic Committee has picked Beijing, China, as the host city (主辦城市) for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games. Let’s learn about some of the sports events at Winter Olympic Games.

1.Curling is a team sport played by two teams, and each team has ________.

A. three players B. four players

C. five players D. six players

2.When players ski down ramps, five judges rate each jump on ________.

A. distance, form and landing

B. distance, weight and shape

C. cross shape and landing

D. speed, form and cross

3.In ice hockey, the games include three ________.

A. 15-minute periods B. 16-minute periods

C. 19-minute periods D. 20-minute periods

A Meaningful Gift

Time is very important in our lives. It organizes our everyday moments. However, time never had any importance in my life until I received a beautiful watch from my father. The watch organized my life and made me more responsible.

I received this gift on a gray-sky day. On that day, I had to go to the airport at 9:00 a.m. to pick up my uncle Harry and take him to my father’s house. However, I was late because I was hanging out with my friends. Later on that day, around 11:00 a.m., I remembered my uncle. But at that time he had left the airport and taken a taxi to my father’s house.

I got to my father’s house at 2:00 p.m. on the same day. Seeing my father’s angry face. I felt ashamed (慚愧的) of myself at that moment. After I said hi to my angry father and tired uncle, my father asked me to sit next to him and he handed me this watch.

Then he said, “Lisa, did you have fun with your friends today?”

I answered, “Yes, father, and I’m sorry about not picking up Uncle Harry.”

He said, “What you did was not very nice and you should be sorry for your actions.”

I was ashamed and said, “Father, I’ll never do it again. I promise.”

He said, “I hope today you learned something important, and this watch will be a reminder for you.” He told me to take this watch and use it as an organizer of my life.

The watch taught me to respect time and never be late. That’s why it is important to me.

1.On that day, the writer had to ________.

A. go to the airport to pick up her uncle

B. take a taxi to her father’s house

C. say hi to her father and uncle

D. hang out with her family

2.When the writer got to her father's house, she felt very ________.

A. angry B. tired C. ashamed D. surprised

3.The writer’s father gave her a watch to ________.

A. make her feel sorry B. welcome her uncle

C. celebrate her birthday D. teach her a lesson about time

Do you have the similar experiences? Your parents often feel stressed and sometimes have difficulty controlling their temper (脾氣); you study 7 days a week and find it difficult to make progress no matter how hard you try. Life always seems to be tiring.

Is there any way out of the tiring life? Believe it or not, the solution is you may need time for your hobbies. Research has shown that people who have hobbies are generally healthier, and feel much happier. Having a hobby may be even more important to people who lead very full and busy lives.

Many people say a sport as a hobby keeps them fitter, helps them manage their anger, and puts them in a much better mood. As a result, this influences their quality (質(zhì)量) of life, work and family time Hobbies provide us with a chance to get social. Getting social can make us feel more supported. Hobbies can also bring pleasure. Think about the simple joy you get from travelling to new places. Further, hobbies may actually improve our work performance as they improve our decision-making skills, creativity and confidence.

What if you are too busy to have a hobby? Finding the time for your hobby is really important. You may have to give up watching TV, force yourself to turn off the computer, or even let your homework wait for a while. Make your hobby a priority (優(yōu)先). Set a goal and get a friend to help you stay with a hobby.

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” is a famous saying. This may be quite true, so make sure you find time for yourself to relax. Pick up a hobby — especially if you are depressed (沮喪的), stressed or going through a tough (艱難的) time. You will thank yourself for it, and so will your family and co-workers.

1.According to this passage, the solution to the tiring life is that ________.

A. we should spend time with friends

B. we need to have time for hobbies

C. we should travel to new places

D. we need to control our temper

2.From paragraph 3, we can learn ________.

A. how we can keep on hobbies

B. what benefits hobbies bring us

C. why doing sports is a great hobby

D. when we can develop our hobbies

3.Why does the writer mention the saying “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”?

A. To complain about the busy life.

B. To describe Jack’s terrible work.

C. To explain how to pick up a hobby.

D. To encourage people to find time to relax.

Studies have shown that a good night’s rest helps us stay healthy, both mentally (精神上) and physically. Dr. Michael Twery, an expert (專家) on the science of sleep and sleep disorders, says, “Getting a good night’s sleep is important for learning because it stores the training and learning exercises into our long-term memory while we’re sleeping 7 to 8 hours. And then the next morning, our mind is better prepared to perform.”

But what about getting some rest during the middle of the day? Does napping (sleeping for a short time) also help our brain work better? If it is really helpful, then how long can a proper nap last?

Napping can help babies and young children learn better. Also, it can stop older people suffering (遭受) from memory loss. Some people have sleep problems at night, so they nap during the day as a way of paying off a sleep debt. They hope napping may make them feel less tired and sleepy during the day.

In America, it is a shame for people to admit (承認(rèn)) that they do take a nap. They suppose napping shows they are weak or short of energy. That only children, the very old, sick or lazy people nap is a widely-accepted opinion. However, that may be changing. Many offices now offer napping rooms, and napping cafes are appearing in many U.S. cities

Unlike America, napping is part of normal, everyday life in other parts of the world. For example, China is generally considered as a land of nappers. Researchers found nearly 60 percent of old Chinese people took a nap after lunch and most of them napped for about an hour The study found that people who took an hour-long nap did much better on mental tests than those who did not nap or who napped for longer periods. It seems that the most helpful nap lasted for about an hour.

But Dr. Michael Twery mentions that an hour-long nap may be too long for young, healthy adults. “We’re suggesting that we try to nap for about 30 minutes or less. And 30 minutes is enough to help us feel more awake.” He also found that someone who naps because of bad sleep at previous night may not experience the same improvements from napping as a healthy, well-rested person would. So, the right thing to do is to get enough sleep at night and take a proper nap for about 30 minutes. But remember not to take a nap later than 3:00 in the afternoon, which may cause a sleep problem.

1.According to the passage. Dr. Michael Twery probably agrees that ________.

A. napping only helps the healthy, well-rested people improve their brain performance

B. napping shows people are very sick and lazy in some countries

C. people had better take a nap before 3:00 in the afternoon

D. young, healthy adults should nap longer than older people

2.The words “paying off a sleep debt” probably mean ________.

A. having some sleep during the work

B. making up for shortness of sleep

C. trying to sleep for longer hours

D. improving the sleep quality

3.What can we know from the passage?

A. Only the one-hour napper group finished their mental test.

B. China has the most young nappers in the whole world.

C. People should be better prepared to get a good nap.

D. More and more Americans are accepting napping.

4.Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?

A. Napping: Can It Solve Sleeping Problems?

B. Napping: How Can A Proper Nap Help?

C. Napping: Do You Really Need It?

D. Napping: How Long Is Too Long?

Take a look in your clothes drawer. Do you see a pair of jeans? You probably do. You may be wearing a pair right now Or you might have a jean jacket, shirt, or a pair of denim (牛仔布) shoes. Jeans are so common, and you may wonder who invented them and how the fashion took off.

Jeans were invented by a German named Levi Strauss. He went to the U.S. in 1847 and followed the Gold Rush to San Francisco. He carried many kinds of fabric (布料) to sell to dry goods stores. Levi quickly became a successful businessman.

The miners (礦工) in California had a problem with their pants. When they found gold or ore (礦石), they carried it in their pockets. But the metal was heavy, and the pockets ripped (撕開(kāi)). In 1873, Jacob and Levi made the first jeans — tough denim pants. The miners loved them, and the jeans quickly became popular.

In the beginning, Levi’s jeans were work pants. Many workers wore them all the time. But a gentleman wouldn’t think of wearing jeans. Women didn’t wear pants at all. But this changed when Western movies became popular All the cowboys were in jeans People thought the cowboys looked tough and cool. But jeans still weren’t proper for places like schools and offices. Back in the U.S., fashions changed. Movie stars wore jeans in their films. Teenagers everywhere loved them Some schools banned jeans because of their “rebel” (叛逆) image. But casual clothing, including jeans, became popular for more and more occasions. Eventually, jeans were so common that it became okay for anyone to wear them. You can even find pictures of the president wearing jeans.

Today, all kinds of people around the world wear jeans. People wear them everywhere. Jeans are popular today for the same reasons they were popular when Levi Strauss first made them. They look good, they last long, and they are comfortable. That’s probably why you own a pair or two, or seven, yourself.

1.Were jeans invented by an American?

2.When did Jacob and Levi make the first jeans?

3.What did people think of the cowboys in jeans?

4.Why are jeans popular today?

5.What’s the passage mainly about?

假如你是李華，你們學(xué)校將組織一次環(huán)境保護(hù)志愿活動(dòng)，你打算邀請(qǐng)你們班交換生Peter參加。請(qǐng)用英語(yǔ)寫一封電子郵件，告訴他活動(dòng)的時(shí)間和地點(diǎn)，活動(dòng)的內(nèi)容以及需要做什么準(zhǔn)備。

提示詞語(yǔ)：pick up, put up, posters, a rubbish bag. warm clothes

提示問(wèn)題：

● When and where will you go?

● What will you do for the environment?

● What should Peter do to prepare for it?

Dear Peter,

How is it going?

I’m writing to invite you to take part in the school’s voluntary activity to protect the environment. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I’m looking forward to your reply.

Yours,

Li Hua

Dear Peter,

How is it going?

I’m writing to invite you to take part in the school’s voluntary activity to protect the environment. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I’m looking forward to your reply.

Yours,

Li Hua

某英文網(wǎng)站正在開(kāi)展以“我最喜歡的中華傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日”為主題的征文活動(dòng)。假如你是李華，請(qǐng)你用英語(yǔ)寫一篇短文投稿，談?wù)勀阕钕矚g的傳統(tǒng)節(jié)日是什么，節(jié)日里你通常都做什么，以及你為什么喜歡這個(gè)節(jié)日。

提示詞語(yǔ)：festival, get together, enjoy, moon cakes, harvest time

提示問(wèn)題：

● What’s your favorite traditional festival?

● What do you usually do during the festival?

● Why do you like it?

There are many traditional festivals in China. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are many traditional festivals in China. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I am a boy from a village. My home town is a village called Three Family village. It’s very nice there. There are a lot of green trees in spring and the water is very clear. There are four seasons in my home town. They are spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Spring is usually very warm. It lasts from February to April, Everything begins to come out in spring. I like spring best because I can fly kites on the hill. Summer is usually very hot. I sometimes go swimming in the river. Autumn is always very cool. The colour of the leaves is golden yellow. Winter comes after autumn. I don't like winter because it is very cold and wet.

How do you like the seasons of my home town? Could you please tell me something about your home town?

1.When is summer in the writer’s home town?

A. It is from November to January.

B. It is from August to October.

C. It is from February to April.

D. It is from May to July.

2.Which season does the writer like best?

A. Spring. B. Summer. C. Autumn. D. Winter.

3.What's the colour of the tree leaves in autumn?

A. Light green. B. Dark red. C. Golden yellow. D. Light yellow.

4.Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A. There are four seasons in the writer’s home town.

B. Summer is the writer’s favourite season.

C. Winter is very cold, so the writer doesn’t like it.

D. The writer sometimes goes swimming in summer.

5.What’s the best title for the passage?

A. Four Seasons of My Home town

B. My Favourite Season

C. My Favourite Colour

D. My Home town

Now the traffic in cities is very terrible. Sometimes you will find it's very slow to take a car. So bikes are popular with people in some big cities. They think it's much faster to ride a bike. What's more, riding bikes is good for our health. It can make us much stronger. We can be greener people if we often ride a bike to work.

But bikes can have some problems, too. A bicyclist must be very careful when he rides on the road. Bikes are called a kind of transport (交通工具), so a bicyclist must obey (遵守) the rules of the road like car drivers. Bike riders are so easy to get hurt because the traffic is always heavy in the city, so they should wear a fine bicycle helmet (頭盔) to keep from the danger of hurting.

If a bicyclist wants to know more about traffic rules, he should go to the traffic station. That's the best way to keep him safe.

1.Why are bikes popular with people in some big cities?

A. Because bikes are very cheap.

B. Because people want to save money.

C. Because bikes can stop traffic accidents.

D. Because riding bikes is much faster in the heavy traffic.

2.What's the meaning of the underlined word “bicylist”?

A. 汽車司機(jī) B. 交通警察 C. 自行車手 D. 修理工人

3.Bikers should be ________ when they ride on the road.

A. green B. strong C. fast D. careful

4.Which is NOT true according to the passage?

A. Traffic in cities is very good.

B. Riding a bike is good for our health.

C. a bicyclist should obey the traffic rules, too.

D. The traffic station is a good place to learn traffic rules.

5.What is this passage mainly about?

A. Traffic accidents. B. Ride a bike to work.

C. Some things about riding a bike. D. How to be a good bicyclist.

There are many national parks in Africa where you can go on safari (游獵). In the northeast of South Africa, there is a national park named Kruger National Park. It is about 20,000 square kilometers. Many kinds of plants and animals live in Kruger, including (包括) the famous “Big Five”. For hunters (獵人), these five animals were some of the most difficult and dangerous to catch. Many travelers think mainly about seeing the Big Five while on safari. But there are many other interesting, and much smaller animals, too.

Tanzania (坦桑尼亞) is another country with many parks where you can go on safari. The good place is Gombe Stream National Park in the west of the country. It has thick forests, ancient (古老的) trees, and beautiful lakes. When you go deep into the forest, you can sit to wait for some animals to come near. You’ll be glad to watch these animals playing, eating and communicating with each other.

Chobe National Park in the country Botswana (博茲瓦納) is another popular place for safari. This park is home to one of the largest elephant groups in the world. You can see elephants face to face in this national park. When you go around the park and feel the thick grass moving, there may be elephants. Then you can see them nearer. They walk past you to look for food.

1.If you go to the northeast of South Africa, the best place to go on safari is ________.

A. Tanzania B. Kruger National Park

C. Chobe National Park D. Gombe Stream National Park

2.What does “Big Five” mean in the passage?

A. They are five big national parks.

B. They are five kinds of beautiful plants.

C. They are five good and famous hunters.

D. They are five kinds of big and dangerous animals.

3.How many parks does the writer mention (提到) in the passage?

A. One. B. Two. C. Three. D. Four.

4.Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Chobe National Park has lots of elephants.

B. You can only see some small animals in Chobe National Park.

C. Gombe Stream National Park is a good place with thick forest and beautiful lakes.

D. Gombe Stream National Park is one of the parks where you can go on safari in Tanzania.

5.Which is the best title?

A. Safari in Africa B. Animals in Africa

C. Traveling in Africa D. Face to Face with the Elephants