For some students, getting better grades can seem like an impossible task sometimes. With the challenges（挑战）of school, just paying attention in class or studying hard isn’t always enough. But what if there were other ways for students to improve their grades? For parents and students who have ever wondered if this is possible, now you can rest easy. Research suggests that a person who likes doing activities can improve their grades.

Scientists think that those students who are active are not just exercising their bodies, but also exercising their brains（大脑）. In turn, they can be able to improve their grades at school.

In the most recent study, researchers found that when children played for half an hour each day, they were better at organizing（组织）their schoolwork as well as doing project work and learning traditionally “difficult” subjects, such as maths.

What does this mean for children who aren’t active? Researchers think that if kids don’t get enough activities, they are going to be at a disadvantage when it comes to school performance.

In the research experiment, a group of children skipped with ropes（跳绳）, played basketball and did a number of other games or exercises. Another group of children didn’t do any activities. They took part in testing both before experiment and after the experiment. Testing was mainly for maths and reading skills. Results showed that the children in the activity group did better on the tests than those who had no activity.

All work and no play will not only make Jack a dull（迟钝的）boy, but will also negatively（消极地）affect his grades in school, according to a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics.

Parents complain（抱怨）children today are actually less active and they always worry about their grades. Dr. Belton, an expert, said,“If you’d like to see your kids do better in school, have them close their books, set down their pencils and go outside to play.”

1.What does the underlined words “rest easy” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A.Stop worrying. B.Keep working. C.Continue learning. D.Study hard.

2.What kind of children is better at organizing their schoolwork in the most recent study?

A.They study all the time.

B.They play for half an hour every day.

C.They finish their homework on time.

D.They do some reading after class every day.

3.In Paragraph 5, what does the research experiment want to show us?

A.Doing activities is bad for the students.

B.Doing more homework can get better marks.

C.The children in the activity group did better on the tests.

D.Children who didn’t do any activities did better on the tests.

4.Where is the text most probably from?

A.A sports magazine. B.A science book. C.A guide book. D.A history book.

    What can drones do? Their many uses include taking pictures from the sky, observing（观察）wild animals and delivering packages. Now these small flying robots are leading a new farming revolution（革命）, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

When equipped（装备）with cameras and other data-gathering devices, drones provide us with an eye in the sky. Here are a few of the farming-related jobs drones can do.

Looking for sick crops

Drones can scan（扫描）crops using different kinds of light. Then, they produce multispectral images（多谱图像）that can help us find sickly yellow plants within fields of green. Drones can also detect bacteria（检测细菌）that are harmful to crops in the air from a few kilometers away. Farmers can check the drones’ air samples（样本）and try to find ways to protect their crops before the bacteria get to them.

Counting cattle

When flying over cattle, drones can track the livestock and find out where fences need fixing. People can also equip drones with thermal imagers（热像仪）and night-vision cameras. This can help farmers look for animals that could harm their cattle.

Water watch

Most fields aren’t perfectly flat（平坦的）. After watering, some places may dry out faster than others. Other spots might not get water at all. Drones can scan the field and make a 3-D map. Using the map, farmers can figure out which parts of a field are dry or need improvement.

Spraying pesticide（喷洒农药）

Different parts of a field might be uneven or have different altitudes（高度）. Drones can check for this when flying above the land. Then, they change their height and therefore spray the correct amount of pesticide over each part of the field. This is more efficient than traditional pesticide spraying. Drones can finish spraying a field up to five times faster than with traditional machinery, according to a study from MIT.

1.What can drones do to help farmers with their farming?

A.Take pictures. B.Look at wild animals. C.Deliver packages. D.Look for sick crops.

2.What do drones need to help guard cattle at night?

A.Wooden fences. B.Air samples. C.Night-vision cameras. D.3-D printers.

3.What does the underlined word “uneven” probably mean?

A.不肥沃的 B.不相连的 C.不平衡的 D.不平坦的

4.What do we know from the story?

A.Drones can’t detect bacteria unless crops are sick.

B.Drones can fight dangerous animals.

C.Drones can help farmers make sure fields are properly watered.

D.Drones are better at spraying pesticide over flat land.

    I hadn’t spoken with Cindy for months. I don’t even remember why now. I used to admire her too. Until she proved that she could draw better, run faster and score higher in every other subject. My classmates used to admire me, but now they ignore me completely.

My parents didn’t help me either. “Come on, Hanna, we know you can do better. Take Cindy for example, isn’t she a great girl? You should invite her over some day.”

I knew that Cindy and I wouldn’t get along at all. Even if I had liked her, we just weren’t made for each other. I spent the week ignoring Cindy and staying inside reading. I turned down each invitation of hiking, kayaking and everything that had to do with her. I thought I could get away without talking to her, but it wasn’t so.

On the fourth night of our trip, a thunderstorm struck I woke up late at night. The storm had gotten worse. I hopped out of bed and pulled on a pair of socks and shoes, being careful not to wake anyone up.

However, when I was reaching for my flashlight, I accidentally stepped on Cindy’s arm. She woke up immediately and insisted going to the bathroom with me. On our way back, I thought of crawling into my warm bed.

However, I found it was impossible as soon as I saw a big tree lying across the entrance of the door of the cabin. There was no way to get back in. Cindy, however, knew what to do. She pulled out a picnic blanket from one of the many bags left behind and spread it out.

"It’s not a lot, but if we use each other’s body-heat, we’ll be warm enough,” she said. I had no choice but to go through with it and that’s how we got through the storm.

Morning dawned on us with a mission. We both got help.

Cindy looked carefully at me and this whole time she actually wanted to be my friend. I finally realized I wanted to be her friend, too.

1.The underlined word “ignore” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “________”.

A.take away from B.pay no attention to C.turn round for D.speak highly of

2.Why did “I” turn down each invitation of things that had something to do with Cindy?

A.Because “I” liked to be quiet and alone.

B.Because “I” wanted to find time to read books.

C.Because “I” really hated to meet Cindy.

D.Because “I” hated to take part in any activity.

3.How did Cindy and “I” keep warm and get through the storm on the fourth night of the trip?

A.They stayed in the tent together.

B.They stayed inside a picnic blanket.

C.They stayed in the bathroom all night.

D.They stayed in the cabin the whole night.

4.The passage tells us the truth that _________.

A.“I” had never spoken with Cindy

B.“my” parents don’t like Cindy at all

C.Cindy was really an annoying girl

D.Cindy and “I” are good friends again

    Here are reviews on some famous movies written by four kids. Let’s take a look.

1.Which movie was set in Africa?

A.Spider-Man (Homecoming)

B.Wolf Warrior II

C.The Emoji Movie

D.Transformers (The last knigh)

2.Who felt disappointed after seeing the movie?

A.Mary. B.Lily. C.Jack. D.Kevin.

3.Where can we possibly find these reviews?

A.http: //www. nbcsports. com/

B.https: //www. taobao. com/

C.https: //www. dogomovies. com/

D.http: //www. travelzoo. com/ cn/

    I was in my parked car, holding a book and reading. Once in a while I _________ watching the people passing by. _________ I raised my eyes again, I saw an old lady with a large bag walking slowly towards my car. The bag seemed not only to make her steps _________, but also make her out of breath. She looked tired and I thought she must be more than seventy years old.

She stopped and put a hand out to rest _________ my car, gently closed her eyes and took a deep breath. I wondered if I could do _________ for her. I tried to keep my body still while my mind _________ for answers. However, because of my careless head movement, she noticed me, and she _________ moved her hand away from the car. I picked up a bottle of water at once, opened the door and _________ the bottle to her, she look at me and then shook her head and walked away.

I was so _________ with myself. I should have been more careful not to move. Instead of __________ a hand, I had interrupted(打扰) the old lady’s __________ moment of rest. I was feeling blue. __________ at that moment, I saw the lady coming back again. I opened the door and patted the __________ next to me. She sat down, open her bag and offered me a banana. I took it and offered her the bottle of water again. She took it.

I ate, she drank and we smiled. She __________ for a couple of minutes. Those minutes brought such quietness to me. Then she took my head in both her hands, made a small kissing __________ in the air, opened the car door and walked away. I was trying to help someone in distress(苦恼). In turn, I became distressed and she took away my distress and replaced it with quietness.

1.A.went back B.came out C.looked up D.ran away

2.A.Before B.When C.Since D.Until

3.A.heavy B.large C.fast D.usual

4.A.in B.over C.under D.against

5.A.everything B.nothing C.something D.anything

6.A.paid B.cared C.asked D.searched

7.A.softly B.quickly C.strangely D.thankfully

8.A.offered B.threw C.sold D.lent

9.A.lonely B.angry C.worried D.serious

10.A.holding B.taking C.giving D.showing

11.A.sad B.quiet C.magic D.proud

12.A.Only B.Even C.Still D.Just

13.A.bed B.floor C.desk D.seat

14.A.slept B.talked C.rested D.ate

15.A.sound B.poem C.music D.note

—Do you mind if I look at your notes that you wrote down in class yesterday?

—Of course not. ________.

A.No problem B.Be my guest C.With pleasure D.Not at all

—Do you know ________? I’m going to see him.

—Sorry, I don’t know.

A.where does Mr. Li live B.what the matter is with Mr. Li

C.where Mr. Li lives D.where Mr. Li lived

My advice on how to save paper      by my class last Monday.

A.accepts B.accepted C.was accepted D.is accepted

I ate some fruit, which I ______ since I was a child, and the vegetables from my garden.

A.have enjoyed B.enjoyed C.enjoy D.had enjoyed

The little girl took her grandma ________the arm and walked her across the street.

A.on B.by C.in D.at