With the Chinese language growing in popularity,the UK government plans to invest （投资）10 million pounds to help more kids learn Mandarin（普通话）.Do you think it is necessary for the UK pupils to learn Mandarin?Some people share their opinions online.
Tsd（UK）:The learning of any language can be valuable and rewarding,but it is not suitable for everyone. Chinese is a difficult language to learn and the UK has a poor reputation for teaching foreign languages.Why should they learn Chinese when most people in the world speak English?
Mark（US）:I studied French for 2 years in high school and German for 4 years in college.I studied Mandarin informally for about 4 months before moving to China.Now I speak Mandarin every day as my wife doesn’t speak English.But it is far from being fluent.learning additional languages is a great thing,which offers a different perspective on the world around us. Nowadays,it’s almost necessary to be able to speak more than just your native tongue.
George（UK）:No,unless they’re taught from a very early stage of childhood.Mandarin is so difficult. If China really is going to dominate the world, it’ll have to do so by speaking the world’s dominant language---English.
Sam（UK）:I don’t think Chinese will become as widely spoken throughout the world as English.It is too difficult to learn as a second language,To learn Chinese you completely have to devote yourself to learning how to write and read it.If you have to learn it besides other subjects you can’t be good at it.But Chinese will become more popular,and that is a good thing.
1.What is probably Mark’s main motivation（动机）for learning Chinese?
A.Further education.
B.Effective communication.
C.His frequent travel.
D.The official policy.
2.What does Sam think of learning Chinese?
A.It’s necessary.
B.It’s of little use.
C.It takes too much time.
D.It’s not popular.
3.What seems to be the major problem when foreigners try to learn Chinese?
A.Its difficulty as a language.
B.Misunderstanding about China.
C.The great popularity of English.
D.A lack of learning resources.
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
In the dark forests of Russia,where the snow lies on the ground for eight months of the year, there are large groups of wolves.It is a fearful thing for travelers,especially If’ night falls,to hear the hungry howls of the wolves as they get nearer and nearer.
A nobleman,with his family,was travelling in a sleigh(雪棉)over a plain.The sleigh was driven by his committed servant,who had worked his whole life for him.At nightfall they reached an inn,and the nobleman called for more horses so that he could continue his journey. The innkeeper begged him not to carry on.”There is danger ahead,”he said.”The wolves are out.”Not caring about the repeated warnings,the nobleman and his family left on their way.
The sleigh travelled quickly over the hard snow,and there seemed no signs of danger. Suddenly the little girl said to her father,”What was that strange howling sound I heard just now?”Her father replied,”Nothing but the wind is blowing through the trees.”The child shut her eyes,and kept still for a while.However,in a few minutes,with a face pale with fear,she turned to her father,and said,”Surely that is not the wind!I hear it again.Do you not hear it too? Listen!”The nobleman listened,and far,far away in the distance behind him,he heard a sound of the wolves.
Whispering to the driver,he said,”They are after us.Get your gun ready.We may be able to get away from them.Drive on!Drive on!”The man drove as fast as he could,but nearer,ever nearer,came the howling.
注意:
1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右:
2.续写部分分为两段，每段开头语已为你写好:
Paragraph 1:
By this time they could see the pack of wolves fast approaching.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
Soon they were howling at the sleigh again.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
假定你是李华，你校将举办一年一度的中国传统文化节。请写封邮件邀请你的英国朋友John参加，内容包括:
1.时间，地点；
2.活动安排；
3.欢迎他参与。
注意:
1. 词数80左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 信的开头，结束语已为你写好。
Dear John,
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Looking forward to your early reply.
Yours,
Li Hua
I’ve heard that it’s better to give than to receive.But I’m here to tell you that the_______of receiving should never be underestimated(低估)。
I was nine when my Dad and Mom moved out,and took me to the _______ of my grandparents,who took care of my needs with meals.I decided at that age,in my loneliness and anger,that if my own parents couldn’t be trusted,I’d have to become fiercely _______, needing no one.
Believe it or not,I took care of everyone in my life,even when I was in worse shape.Once in a while,_______,someone would do something for me at just the moment.
Once,when I was a single parent,I took my son to see Santa Claus.When he wanted to buy the photo that was taken,I opened my _______,only to find that I didn’t have enough money. When I got to the counter to _______ the photo,I was told that someone in line ahead of me had seen me _______ my change and had paid for me.I rushed out to thank the person whose small kindness _______ so much.I found not a soul in sight.I wanted to_______ that I didn’t need this and I just didn’t have enough cash on that ________day.I realized then that it’s okay.It’s okay to let someone do something for me,________I could have done it myself.
I have received the blessings of those whose acts of kindness and ________ have found me when I needed them most.I believe that it’s not about my strength and independence.It’s about allowing the giver to be blessed when the gift is graciously(优雅地)________.For me,it’s about a long-lost little girl who is no longer ________.Now I know that giving and receiving are two halves of a whole,each ________without the other.
1.A.strength B.power C.force D.energy
2.A.ownership B.command C.shelter D.sacrifice
3.A.sceptical B.independent C.desperate D.aggressive
4.A.therefore B.though C.instead D.otherwise
5.A.wallet B.account C.pocket D.notebook
6.A.decline B.scan C.share D.copy
7.A.saving B.spending C.paying D.counting
8.A.changed B.meant C.owed D.gave
9.A.promise B.resist C.insist D.admit
10.A.typical B.specific C.ordinary D.particular
11.A.as if B.even if C.if only D.if ever
12.A.rescue B.approval C.generosity D.commitment
13.A.received B.delivered C.distributed D.packed
14.A.tough B.alone C.elegant D.mild
15.A.incomplete B.invisible C.inaccurate D.inactive
Baking Is Good For Mental Health
As the novel coronavirus spreads,the panic shoppers buy everything off supermarket shelves in preparation for the days to come.Bread is often among the first products to disappear. So,if you have never made bread,now may be good time to learn.Baking is not just a useful survival skill.1. In fact,baking and cooking have been used to treat people with mental health issues on many levels.
2.
So when you’re in the kitchen,especially when you’re baking,you will really get the full benefit of being present in the moment and being able to put aside all the other thoughts and just focus on the here-and-now.
Baking is a labor of love.
3.It not only makes you feel good,but it produces something that you can touch and eat!With very few simple things-such as flour,salt and yeast-you can bake a fresh loaf of bread for your family,neighbors or coworkers.
Baking is emotional.
We remember meals our grandmothers made.We teach our children important recipes for family favorites4.
All bakers know that giving delicious,baked goods makes the giver feel as good as the receiver.5.To be able to pass bread on to someone else certainly can make the day for the person receiving it.But it’s also just as powerful for the giver.
A.It’s a win-win.
B.Baking requires mindfulness.
C.Baking is a process filled with love.
D.It can also make you feel better at stressful times.
E.So,buy everything off supermarket shelves in preparation first.
F.Often our food experiences are tied to family memories and stories.
G.But it’s also just as powerful for the person who’s giving the baked goods.
At the time,I attended a private school called Maryvale College.I was the champion of the Maryvale sports day every single year.and my mother won the moms’trophy(奖杯)every single year.Why?Because she was always chasing me to kick my ass,and I was always running not to get my ass kicked.Nobody ran like me and my mom.
She was a thrower,too.Whatever was next to her was coming at you.If it was something breakable,I had to catch it and put it down.If it broke,that would be my fault,too,and the ass-kicking would be that much worse.
We had a Tom and Jery relationship.me and my mom.She was the strict disciplinarian(纪律执行者)；I was naughty as shit.She would send me out to buy groceries,and I wouldn’t come right home because I’d be using the change from the milk and bread to play arcade(街机)games at the supermarket.I’d drop a coin in,time would fly,and the next thing I knew there’ d be a woman behind me with a belt.It was a race.I’d take off out the door and through the dusty street, clambering over walls.ducking through backyards.It was a normal thing in our neighborhood. She could go at a full sprint(冲刺)in high heels,but if she really wanted to come after me she’d kick her shoes off while still going at top speed.
When I was little she always caught me,but as I got older I got faster,and when speed failed her she’d use her wits.If I was about to get away she’d yell,”Stop!Thief!”She’d do this to her own child.She’d yell”Thief!”knowing it would bring the whole neighborhood out against me,and then I’d have strangers trying to grab me and tackle me,and I’d have to duck and dive them as well.all the while screaming.”I’m not a thief!I’m her son!”
1.Why did the author’s mom often chase him and kick his ass?
A.Because he didn’t get a trophy on the sports day.
B.Because he didn’t get a high mark in the school.
C.Because he failed to obey his mom’s disciplines.
D.Because he failed to buy groceries for the family.
2.The underlined phrase”a Tom and Jerry relationship”in paragraph 3 indicates that
A.they are close friends
B.they play run and catch every day
C.they are born enemies
D.they play hide and seek every day
3.Why did the author’s mom yell”Stop!Thief!”when chasing him?
A.Because she really wanted to win the race.
B.Because she wanted to catch and punish him.
C.Because he stole his mom’s money to play games.
D.Because he stole something from the neighborhood.
4.Which of the following best describes the author’s mom?
A.Violent and stubborn.
B.Reasonable and gentle.
C.Energetic and friendly.
D.Strict and responsible.
