In my second year of high school, I took my first computer science course, which helped me realize I was interested in software. The idea of creating something from just lines of codes and logic was very fascinating. And I didn't put as much time into music as I used to, thinking practicing the piano was just a waste of time.

A year later, when I got back on the piano, I quickly noticed my musical ear was not as strong as it was before. I could no longer hear the difference between a perfect 4th and a perfect 5th or between a D and D flat. Then I had a firm decision to get my skills to where it used to be. After weeks of practicing, I didn't see much progress. I was extremely discouraged and felt that I would have to accept that I no longer will be able to play as well as I used to.

While watching hundreds of tutorials online on how to code in Swift I came up with an idea. What if I used the knowledge I gained from these tutorials to develop an app that would help train my musical ear. After hours of coding, I developed an app that would play a different series of notes, then the user would have to type in the corresponding notes to what they heard. When I was on the subway or had some extra time I could easily open up the app on my phone and use it to help my musical ear. In about 2 months, I regained the skills I lost.

This experience helped me see something that I never noticed before. Programming gives me a platform to express my ideas; in a similar way, playing the piano gives me a way to express my feelings. When playing through a song for the first time I hear many errors. Similarly, when I run my program for the first time there are usually many mistakes. In both of these cases, it takes patience to go through each measure or line to hear or find the error. I realized when I’m playing the piano I am also practicing my programming skills and vice versa.

1.What happened to the author a year ago?

A.He realized his strength. B.He invented lines of codes.

C.He developed another hobby. D.He was too busy to practice piano.

2.Which of the following can best describe the author?

A.Determined and creative. B.Hard-working and gifted.

C.Easy-going and generous. D.Independent and energetic.

3.What can we infer about the author from the third paragraph?

A.He received musical training online.

B.He improved himself by studying online.

C.He got inspired from the tutorials online.

D.He made good use of the app he downloaded online.

4.What can the author learn from the experience?

A.He came to realize it is important to develop some good qualities.

B.He understood the meaning of the saying “practice makes perfect”.

C.He found programming and playing the piano have something in common.

D.He felt it necessary to improve himself in programming and playing the piano.

Dentzel Carousel

Our historic, restored 1921 Dentzel Carousel is located near the Fisher Family Children’s Zoo. This unique merry-go-round delights kids of all ages as they choose to ride a horse, a cat, a rabbit, or even a giraffe without considering the weather condition.

Tickets are $ 4 per person.

Adults may ride free when standing by a paid child.

Elinor Friend Playground

The newly repaired Elinor Friend Playground lights the imagination of children who is not beyond 12. This unique space is modeled after three distinct bio-regions, which take their themes from specific ecosystems and appeal to distinct age groups: a River Play Area for toddlers (6 months—2 years), a Polar Zone exploration space for pre-schoolers (2—5 years), and a Banyan Tree climbing structure for pre-teens (5—12 years).

Tickets are $ 7 per person (Free with zoo admission).

Adults pay zoo admission.

Little Puffer Miniature Steam Train

Add a ride on the historic Little Puffer miniature steam train to your visit to the San Francisco Zoo. Like generations before you, you’ll make wonderful childhood memories for your kids. Little Putter does not run in wet weather due to slippery tracks, and is closed at a regular time period for repair. Call the Zoo before your visit.

Tickets are $ 7 per person.

Children under 3 may ride free (ticket required) when accompanied by a paid adult.

(A special passenger car on the Little Puffer miniature steam train is designed to hold a wheelchair)

Zoo Keys

The ever-popular storybooks have returned to the Zoo, activated by the beloved, plastic animal keys that have become nostalgic icons to visitors from years past. At Storybook sites around the Zoo, visitors can listen to recordings of stories in different languages and fun facts about the animals in all kinds of weather conditions. You can purchase your Zoo Key at the Admissions Gate or in the Membership Office or online.

Zoo Keys are $ 5 each.

Children under 1 may ride free when accompanied by a paid adult.

1.What is special about Dentzel Carousel?

A.It has a long history. B.It has models of animals

C.It is for children of all ages. D.It has the cheapest charge.

2.What is the suggested age range of Elinor Friend Playground?

A.6 months - 2 years. B.6 months - 12 years.

C.2-5 years. D.5-12 years.

3.Which program favors the disabled?

A.Dentzel Carousel. B.Elinor Friend Playground.

C.Little Puffer Miniature Steam Train. D.Zoo Keys.

假设你是李华，你的英国朋友Jim打算来中国旅行，但是不知道该去哪里， Jim来信希望你能给些建议。请你给他回信，内容包括：

1.你建议他游长江（travel along Changjiang River）；

2.你的理由；

3.你的祝愿。

注意：1.词数80左右；

2.信的格式已经给出。

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：

1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

John, a little boy lived next door to me, liked fast food very much. His parents were so busy that they had few time to cook food for him at home. So they often took him eat fast food. That’s because John became overweight. My mother has always told his parents that so much fast food was harmful, and they ignored my mother’s advice. Recent, the doctor warned him never not to eat fast food any more after the poor boy had a physical examination. His parents came to realize what a terribly mistake they had made. Now John’s mother often comes to ask my mother for advice in how to make healthy food.

    As a young boy my family was very poor. I would often help do something for the neighbors to_______a little pocket money.

One day I_______at the door of an elderly woman and asked_______ she needed me to clean the yard. She asked why I was not in_______ and I showed her my worn _______ , which no longer kept me warm. She _______me to work in the yard. When I finished, she looked at me and said, “I suppose you want to be _______now.” She then_______a jar filled with dollar bills and said, “I’m glad you’ve done a _______job today but that is not something you should be doing again. I want you to ________new clothes and get back to school. I also want you to come back to ________me with your report card, and I will ________you when I see you have worked hard and got some good marks. Now________your little hands and take out as much________as you can.”

I put my hands in the jar and grabbed (抓住) so much money that it was ________for me to buy what I ________needed. Later, I returned several times to see the woman and she did just as she ________.She looked at my report card and gave me a handful of dollars and some delicious food every time I ________her that I had an “A”.

I was twelve years old when I moved from that neighborhood. I will never forget the big ________ this wonderful lady made to my life with her ________. This is something I hope to do myself in this lifetime over and over again.

1.A.save B.give C.earn D.change

2.A.knocked B.turned C.worked D.looked

3.A.how B.when C.why D.if

4.A.school B.time C.trouble D.bed

5.A.bag B.coat C.carpet D.sofa

6.A.allowed B.forced C.helped D.stopped

7.A.punished B.tested C.praised D.paid

8.A.set up B.made up C.took out D.put away

9.A.boring B.new C.good D.terrible

10.A.keep B.buy C.remove D.make

11.A.serve B.forgive C.welcome D.visit

12.A.recognize B.reward C.understand D.protect

13.A.put up B.show up C.reach out D.turn out

14.A.room B.money C.food D.time

15.A.enough B.rare C.simple D.special

16.A.slightly B.gradually C.naturally D.badly

17.A.promised B.discovered C.knew D.admitted

18.A.asked B.showed C.required D.wrote

19.A.decision B.progress C.mistake D.difference

20.A.courage B.honesty C.kindness D.happiness

    Between sports, games, and playing outside, there is lots of competition for kids’ time. Here are some ways they can still keep up their reading.

1.

Encourage kids to take five or ten minutes at the beginning of each day to read, before doing anything else. They can even set a timer (计时器). It’s always possible that they’ll want to keep going after their time is up.

Match books to activities

Know a child going to soccer camp? Connect him or her with sports stories by authors like Matt Christopher. 2. The Summer of May by Cecilia Galante is a moving story about a girl experiencing her own summer school.

3.

Encourage children to always carry a book with them. It sounds simple, but kids may be surprised to discover all the time during the day they have for reading — on the bus to camp, in a waiting room, or during breaks.

Have family reading time

Just as you set aside time for reading during the school year, ask families to devote 20 minutes a day to book.  4.

Set goals

Some kids will have no problem finishing reading four books in the summer. 5. Meet with kids to determine them.

A.Read for fun

B.Read over breakfast

C.Always carry a book

D.Have a student who’ll be in summer school?

E.Others may need to make sound plans, such as two books a month.

F.Every family member should read during this time, including Mom and Dad.

G.That means three months with books can make a difference in their vocabularies.

    When it comes to the reason why those people are fond of the foods and other products (产品) of Fresh Choice, I’m willing to share with you some information about that. Here I would like to show you a way to inspect its wonderful stories. So far, it has become popular among the public and has won great fame within a short period of time. Lots of people are crazy about this special restaurant and like to have a try.

Compared with other famous companies that provide foods, it has enjoyed a quite short history, as it was created in 1986. However, it has some important characteristics that have led to its success.

First of all, most people are familiar with its natural farm produce. It’s good for environmental protection and balanced diets. In addition, Fresh Choice provides customers with all kinds of foods, including soups, desserts and all kinds of salads, along with many other delicious dishes. The most important thing is that all these foods contain enough nutrition, such as protein, vitamins and fiber. At the same time, they keep customers away from too much fat, carbohydrates (碳水化合物) and calories, which helps them keep a balanced diet and lifestyle. More often than not, many people suffer the serious problem of being overweight, especially in western countries. It is important for them to lose weight and improve their confidence. And Fresh Choice is just the right choice for them and saves them from this serious problem. What is more, customers can get a good discount with more visits. With the powerful sup-port of some promotional (促销的) activities, more and more people have developed a good impression of Fresh Choice and share their pleasant experience with close friends and family.

1.People are crazy about Fresh Choice mainly because _____.

A.it enjoys great fame B.it has a long history

C.it offers healthy food D.it provides cheap but tasty food

2.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text? _____

A.Most westerners are satisfied with their weight.

B.Fresh Choice has never held any promotional activities.

C.Most people don’t know about natural farm produce.

D.Natural farm produce is good for a balanced diet.

3.The purpose of the text is mainly to tell readers _____.

A.how to manage a restaurant

B.what we can enjoy in Fresh Choice

C.the importance of keeping a balanced diet

D.the reasons why Fresh Choice has become popular

    My family had always been close and lucky. No one died and no one was sick. We were all living a happy life until my grandfather had cancer. No matter how much I told myself he might not die, somehow I still felt as if it was a death sentence. He fought so hard but died at 63. I honestly didn’t know how I dealt with. I never cried alone. I had the support of my family and teachers. I just remembered my grandfather’s wish that we should celebrate his life.

That’s how we came up with the idea for Hives (蜂房) for Lives — a business my sister and I started where all the profits (赢利) go to the American Cancer Society (ACS). During our first year we donated (捐赠) more than $2,000 to the ACS. The next year a man who belonged to my grandparents’ “bee club” gave his honey to us, and our little business grew. We sold at wine festivals, schools, and to anyone else who would buy! We had my uncle sell in California and my grandmother sell in Chicago. We have sold honey in 13 states — even in Puerto Rico! This year we donated more than $10,000 to the ACS and we’re hoping to do more next year. Hopefully our business will help research into the causes of cancer or just improve the life of someone with cancer.

I feel like Hives for Lives is a way to honor my grandfather. Honor his love, his life, and his strength. With Hives for Lives reminding me of my grandfather every day, I feel as if I can move on in life, that he will always be alive in my heart and memories. It made me deal with his death, because I felt like I had truly honored his wish of celebrating his life.

1.From the first paragraph, we can learn ____.

A.the author’s grandfather had been ill for years

B.the author hadn’t thought his grandfather would die

C.the author showed little love towards his grandfather

D.the author’s grandfather had tried to fight against his disease

2.The purpose of the author’s starting Hives for Lives is NOT for _____.

A.improving his life B.honoring his grandfather

C.helping do research for cancer D.supporting people with cancer

3.How many states have they sold honey in? ______

A.13states B.10 states C.8states D.6states

4.What would be the best title for the text? ______

A.Turning sadness into hope B.The meaning of life

C.To my grandfather D.Living with cancer

    Britain Today

Food

British people like good food, and more than half of them go to a restaurant every month. Fast food is also very popular— 30% of all adults have a hamburger every three months, but 46% have fish and chips!

Sports

British people don't do a lot of sports. Only 17% of people go swimming every week, about 9% go cycling and 8% play golf—and only 6% of people play football( but 32% go to watch it ).

Cinema and TV

Films are very popular in Britain, and about 60% of people between 15 and 24 go to the cinema every month. At home, men watch TV for about three hours every day — two quarters more than women.

Holidays

British people love going on holiday, and have 56 million holidays every year. Most of these holidays aren't in the UK—27% are in Spain,10% are in the USA, and 9% are in France. Maybe this is because the weather in Britain isn't very good!

1.Which food could be more popular among British adults, a hamburger or fish and chips? ______

A.A hamburger. B.Fish and chips. C.Both. D.Neither.

2.Those who are interested in movies are ____.

A.men B.Women C.old people D.young people

3.How long do British women spend watching TV every day? ______

A.Three hours. B.Three hours and a half

C.Two hours D.Two hours and a half

4.British people's favorite country for a holiday is ____.

A.Spain B.France C.America D.Australia

    My mother was telling me about how she and her family got their first television when she was a teenager. Of course it was black and white. She said she only watch it at night. When I was young we had only about 3 or 4 different channels. My bothers ,my sisters and I would sometimes fight about which channel to watch .But we usually enjoyed the same shows.

Nowadays we can get hundreds of channels on TV. I can’t believe it! There are channels with old movies, cooking ,fishing and so on. It’s amazing! There is a channel for everything. I wonder how much my bothers, my sisters and I would fight if we had hundreds of channels when I was a child. Of course we had only one television set.

These days I notice families with 2 or 3 or more television sets in their homes. I guess it stops people from arguing over which channel to choose from .

1.In those days, what kind of television sets did people only have? ______

A.Black and white ones. B.Colors Ones.

C.All kinds of television sets. D.High-definition televisions

2.My mother watched TV ________when she was young.

A.in the morning B.in the afternoon C.at night D.on the weekend

3.Nowadays,how many channels can we get on TV? ______

A.3 or 4 different channels. B.Only once channel

C.Hundreds of channels. D.two channels

4.Which of the following in NOT true ? _______

A.My bother ,my sisters and I would sometimes fight about which channel to watch when I was a child.

B.These days, there is only one channel with old movies, cooking and fishing.

C.People have many channels to choose from now

D.Nowadays we can get hundreds of channels on TV.