Sometimes just when we need the power of miracles to change our beliefs, they materialize in the places we’d least expect. They can come to us as a great change in our physical reality or as a simple coincidence in our lives. Sometimes they’re big and can’t be missed. Other times they’re so subtle that if we aren’t aware, we may miss them altogether. They can come from the lips of a stranger we suddenly and mysteriously meet at just the right instant. If we listen carefully, we’ll always hear the right words, at the right time, to dazzle (目眩) us into a realization of something that we may have failed to notice only moments before.

On a cold January afternoon in 1989, I was hiking up the trail that leads to the top of Egypt’s Mt. Horeb. I’d spent the day at St. Catherine’s Monastery and wanted to get to the peak by sunset to see the valley below. As I was winding up the narrow path, I’d occasionally see other hikers who were coming down from a day on the mountain. While they would generally pass with simply a nod or a greeting in another language, there was one man that day who did neither.

I saw him coming from the last switchback on the trail that led to the backside of the mountain. As he got closer, I could see that he was dressed differently from the other hikers I’d seen. Rather than the high-tech fabrics and styles that had been the norm, this man was wearing traditional Egyptian clothing. He wore a tattered, rust-colored galabia and obviously old and thick-soled sandals that were covered in dust. What made his appearance so odd, though, was that the man didn’t even appear to be Egyptian! He was a small-framed Asian man, had very little hair, and was wearing round, wire-rimmed glasses.

As we neared one another, I was the first to speak, “Hello,” I said, stopping on the trail for a moment to catch my breath. Not a sound came from the man as he walked closer. I thought that maybe he hadn’t heard me or the wind had carried my voice away from him in another direction. Suddenly he stopped directly in front of me on the high side of the trail, looked up from the ground, and spoke a single sentence to me in English, “Sometimes you don’t know what you have lost until you’ve lost it.” As I took in what I had just heard, he simply stepped around me and continued his going down the trail.

That moment in my life was a small miracle. The reason is less about what the man said and more about the timing and the context. The year was 1989, and the Cold War was drawing to a close. what the man on the trail couldn’t have known is that it was during my Egyptian pilgrimage (朝圣), and specifically during my hike to the top of Moses’s mountain, that I’d set the time aside to make decisions that would affect my career in the defense industry, my friends, my family, and, ultimately, my life.

I had to ask myself what the chances were of an Asian man dressed in an Egyptian galabia coming down from the top of this historic mountain just when I was walking up, stopping before me, and offering his wisdom, seemingly from out of nowhere. My answer to my own question was easy: the odds were slim to none! In a meet that lasted less than two minutes on a mountain halfway around the world from my home, a total stranger had brought clarity and the hint of a warning, regarding the huge changes that I would make within a matter of days. In my way of thinking, that’s a miracle.

I suspect that we all experience small miracles in our lives every day. Sometimes we have the wisdom and the courage to recognize them for what they are In the moments when we don’t, that’s okay as well. It seems that our miracles have a way of coming back to us again and again. And each time they do, they become a little less subtle, until we can’t possibly miss the message that they bring to our lives!

The key is that they’re everywhere and occur every day for different reasons, in response to the different needs that we may have in the moment. Our job may be less about questioning the extraordinary things that happen in our daily lives and more about accepting the gifts they bring.

1.Why did the author make a pilgrimage to Mt Horeb in Egypt?

A. He was in search of a miracle in his life.

B. It was a holy place for a religious person to head for.

C. He intended to make arrangements for his life in the future.

D. He waited patiently in expectation of meeting a wise person.

2.What does the underlined part “my own question” refer to in paragraph 6?

A. For what reason did the man stop before me?

B. Why did the Asian man go to the mountain?

C. What change would I make within a matter of days?

D. What was the probability that others told us the right words?

3.Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “subtle” in paragraph 7?

A. Apparent. B. Delicate.

C. Precise. D. Sufficient.

4.The author viewed the meet with the Asian man as a miracle in his life in that ________.

A. the Asian man’s appearance had a deciding effect on his future life

B. his words were in perfect response to the need he had at that moment

C. what the Asian man said was abundant in the philosophy of life

D. the Asian man impressed on him the worth of what he had possessed

5.What might be the best title for the passage?

A. Can you recognize a miracle? B. Is a miracle significant to us?

C. When might a miracle occur? D. Why do we need a miracle?

6.After the encounter of the Asian man, what will the writer probably do immediately?

A. Continue walking up to the top of the mountain.

B. Have a rest to refresh himself.

C. Try to have a heart-to-heart conversation with the Asian man.

D. Come down the mountain.

    For all the pressures and rewards of regionalization (地区化) and globalization, local identities remain the most deeply impressed. Even if the end result of globalization is to make the world smaller, its scope seems to foster the need for more private local connections among many individuals. As Bernard Poignant, mayor of the town of Quimper in Brittany, told the Washington Post, “Man is a fragile animal and he needs his close attachments. The more open the world becomes, the more ties there will be to one s roots and one’s land.”

In most communities, local languages such as Poignant’s Breton serve a strong symbolic function as a clear mark of “authenticity (原真性)”. The sum total of a community’s shared historical experience, authenticity reflects a noticeable line from a culturally idealized past to the present, carried by the language and traditions associated with the community’s origins. A concern for authenticity leads most secular (世俗的) Israelis to defend Hebrew among themselves while also acquiring English and even Arabic. The same obsession with authenticity drives Hasidic Jews in Israel or the Diaspora to champion Yiddish while also learning Hebrew and English. In each case, authenticity amounts to a central core of cultural beliefs and interpretations that are not only resistant to globalization but also are actually reinforced by the “threat” that globalization seems to present to these historical values. Scholars may argue that cultural identities change over time in response to specific reward systems. But locals often resist such explanation and defend authenticity and local mother tongues against the perceived threat of globalization with near religious eagerness.

As a result, never before in history have there been as many standardized languages as there are today: roughly 1,200. Many smaller languages, even those with far fewer than one million speakers, have benefited from state-sponsored or voluntary preservation movements. On the most informal level, communities in Alaska and the American northwest have formed Internet discussion groups in an attempt to pass on Native American languages to younger generations. In the Basque, Catalan, and Galician regions of Spain, such movements are fiercely political and frequently involved loyal resistance to the Spanish government over political and linguistic rights. Projects have ranged from a campaign to print Spanish money in the four official languages of the state to the creation of language immersion nursery and primary schools. Zapatistas in Mexico are championing the revival of Mayan languages in an equally political campaign for local autonomy.

In addition to causing the feeling of the subjective importance of local roots, supporters of local languages defend their continued use on practical grounds. Local tongues foster higher levels of school success, higher degrees of participation in local government, more informed citizenship, and better knowledge of one’s own culture, history, and faith. Government and relief agencies can also use local languages to spread information about industrial and agricultural techniques as well as modern health care to diverse audiences. Development workers in West Africa, for example, have found that the best way to teach the vast number of farmers with little or no formal education how to sow and rotate crops for higher yields is in these local tongues. Nevertheless, both regionalization and globalization require that more and more speakers of local languages be multi-literate.

1.In paragraph 1, the author quoted a mayor’s word to show that globalization ________.

A. strengthens local identities B. weakens regionalization

C. strengthens individualism D. weakens local attachments

2.The influence of globalization on authenticity is that it ________.

A. weakens the authority of authenticity

B. prevents the development of authenticity

C. enhances the importance of authenticity

D. promotes the maturity of authenticity

3.In terms of campaigns for language protection, America differs from Spain and Mexico in that ______.

A. its volunteers have enough sponsorship from the state.

B. its locals are not interested in finding native Americans.

C. its youths are eager to pass on the local traditions.

D. its movements are not political.

4.Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. Practically, local languages are less used than English.

B. Local languages are more important in daily life.

C. The smaller the world is, the more united the locals are.

D. The relation between localization and globalization is double-win.

    The goings-on in the consulting room have become more transparent (透明的) recently. Thank goodness. We know more than the lines supplied by the movies in which the therapist knows all and gives wisdom to those who, sitting on a couch, consult with them. Therapists are interested in how the individual, the couple or the family experiences and understands their difficulties. That has to be a starting place. We can be of value if our first port of call is to listen, to gradually feel ourselves into the shoes of the other, to absorb the feelings that are being conveyed and to think and then to say some words.

The thinking and talking that I do inside the consulting room is at odds with many features of ordinary conversation. Not that it is mysterious, but it isn’t concerned with traditional ways of sharing or identifying. The therapist makes patterns and theorizes, but they are also reflecting on the words that are spoken, how they are delivered and how the words, once spoken, affect the speaker and the therapist themselves.

Words can give voice to previously unknown feelings and thoughts. That’s why it’s called the talking cure. But just as words reveal so, too, can they obscure, and this gets us to the listening and feeling part of the therapy. Whatever and however the words are delivered, they will have an impact on me as a therapist. I might feel hopeless, I might feel energized, I might feel pushed away, I might feel demanded of, I might feel pulled to find solutions.

The influence of the other is what makes any relationship possible or impossible. A therapist is trained to reflect on how those who consult with them affect them. As I try to step into the shoes of the other and then out again, my effort is to hold both those experiences, plus an awareness of my ease or discomfort with what I encounter in the relationship.

Feelings are the bread and butter of our work in the consulting room. They inform or modify our ideas and they enable us to find an emotional bridge to what can so hurt for the people we are working with. Along with the more commonly thought-about theories and ideas we have about the psyche, they are an essential part of the therapist’s toolkit, certainly for me. The talking cure means talking, yes. It also means the therapist is listening, thinking and feeling.

1.The word “obscure” (paragraph 3) is closest in meaning to ________.

A. cancel B. clarify

C. confirm D. hide

2.Which of the following is the writer most likely to agree with?

A. Patients’influence has been neglected by therapists for too long a time.

B. Therapists need to think from their own perspectives as well as patients’.

C. It is no easy job for therapists to realize how uncomfortable their patients are.

D. Therapists had better push away those negative emotions acquired from patients.

3.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A. Awareness of feelings

B. It’s good to talk and listen

C. Theories that help therapists

D. What is the point of being a therapist

    Over the past few years, smart home tech has become more and more accessible and it’s increasingly easy to find that you’ve bought a product that includes smart home features. So what does a modem smart home look like, and how can you start building one? You could get to start making your home smarter by the following gadgets.

Ecobee 4

* Measuring both occupancy and temperature, its sensors signal your Ecobee to automatically switch to the right mode.

* It only takes about 30 minutes. thanks to an easy-to-follow installation guide and an in-app step-by-step walkthrough.

* Easily adjust temperature using your voice with built-in Alexa or from wherever you are using your mobile devices.

Amazon Smart Plug

* Amazon Smart Plug works with Alexa to add voice control.

* Schedule lights, fans, and appliances to turn on and off automatically, or control them remotely when you’re away.

*It’s simple to set up and use. Plug in, open Alexa app, and start using your voice.

The Philips Hue White Smart Bulb

* It works with Amazon Alexa to support dimming through voice control.

* Schedule your own custom lighting scenes. Set the smart bulbs to turn on and off at a pre-set time.

To install, simply screw (拧) the smart bulbs into your desired light location.

* Control smart-bulb-equipped lamps and overhead lights via the Philips Hue App.

August Smart Lock Pro

* It works with Alexa for voice control (Alexa device sold separately).

* Control keyless access. It locks automatically behind you, and unlocks as you approach.

* Install in about 10 minutes with just a screwdriver (螺丝刀) .

1.What do the four gadgets have in common?

A. Useful Philips Hue App. B. Beautiful lighting scenes.

C. Easy installation and simple set-up. D. Pleasant temperature.

2.This passage is intended to ________.

A. introduce the gadgets of smart home B. provide advice for home decoration

C. compare the gadgets with others D. show the popularity of the gadgets

    The Youth Commission meeting only just started; I didn’t even want to think about the piles of homework sitting on my desk at home. I didn't wanted to ______ the youth involvement in the annual holiday parade in the meeting, much less ______ the speech of Ray D.

Ray D. came to every meeting of the Youth Commission. The local papers ______ him as “a thorn in public official’s side-open, honest and overactive.” He gave himself the ______ of “Citizen Ray” and even wore a baseball cap with this name printed on the front. He came to the meetings and ______ unsafe bike lanes and noise complaints, ______ they had nothing to do with our ______ and we could do nothing about them. He always went over the two-minute limit for guest speakers, and would not stop ______ until one of us told him his ______ was up.

After countless nights of staying up to finish my ______ because of meetings that ran ______, largely due to distractions provided by Citizen Ray, I began to hate his ______. Why did he waste his time with the Youth Commission, when we couldn’t ______ him with all of his issues? ______, we planned youth forums and relayed information about the town government to our peers; we didn’t fix problems or give out building permits that he seemed to ______.

It took me several months to ______ understand the motivations of Citizen Ray. Most people in their late seventies are ______ to leave the workplace and live in the relaxation provided by ______. Ray D., however, considered participating in the public good as his duty as a(n) ______. His efforts should be admired, not hated. After all, Ray is motivated, dedicated and ambitious. His persistence and ______would prove valuable in any field of study or work, and I realized I should value his presence.

1.A. continue B. enjoy C. remember D. discuss

2.A. depend on B. wait for C. listen to D. refer to

3.A. characterized B. treated C. invited D. employed

4.A. gift B. title C. position D. purpose

5.A. picked up B. wrote down C. thought of D. talked about

6.A. as B. unless C. even though D. as if

7.A. duties B. records C. opportunities D. tastes

8.A. performing B. speaking C. judging D. struggling

9.A. show B. power C. time D. topic

10.A. service B. report C. collection D. homework

11.A. quietly B. frequently C. late D. again

12.A. presence B. problem C. response D. advantage

13.A. provide B. help C. reward D. associate

14.A. After all B. At last C. In all D. For instance

15.A. observe B. change C. cause D. need

16.A. naturally B. accidentally C. finally D. temporarily

17.A. lucky B. brave C. safe D. happy

18.A. school B. pension C. travel D. donation

19.A. customer B. citizen C. professor D. officer

20.A. determination B. skill C. freedom D. independence

—I keep on meeting with difficulties in the experiment. I can hardly go on.

—Where there are difficulties, there are ways to get over them. ________

A. Suit yourself. B. Good for you

C. Pull yourself together! D. What’s the deal?

The reign of the next Japanese emperor will be known as “Reiwa” (令和) era, in ________ name the character for “harmony” is included.

A. which B. what

C. whose D. as

The law is equally applied to everyone. No one ________ be above it.

A. shall B. must

C. may D. need

When they first came to the city, my parents often went to neighbors for a talk, just as they ________ in the countryside.

A. will do B. had done

C. have done D. were doing

When all is said and done, there doesn’t seem to be ________ a mystery to explain.

A. kind of B. close to

C. far from D. much of

Nowadays, the Internet is a popular ________ for the public to access information and voice their opinions.

A. track B. trend

C. channel D. lane

You can choose not to forgive. ________ you can also choose to let it go.

A. Absolutely B. Consequently

C. Subsequently D. Alternatively

—Why does he wear a raincoat on sunny days?

—Nor do I understand. He is ________.

A. a wet blanket B. a lazy bone

C. a black sheep D. an odd fish

If she ________ generous as she makes out, she would have donated more money in the catastrophe.

A. had been B. were

C. would be D. was

________ competence in acquiring English today comes from the ability to express oneself rather than in simply passing exams.

A. Due B. Raw

C. Core D. Keen

I didn’t ________ having to do the cooking myself, or I would have learnt one or two dishes from my mom.

A. expect B. anticipate

C. forecast D. preview

People crowd into ________ cherry trees are blooming, appreciating the fresh spring sight.

A. what B. when

C. which D. where

Please ________ your ashes before it fails on the carpet.

A. cut off B. knock off

C. get off D. drop off

You can’t use the computer now, ________ the upgrade of the system is under way.

A. until B. unless

C. as D. after

The man ________ the fake news that 18 firefighters lost their lives in the explosion was arrested.

A. having circulating B. to circulate

C. circulating D. to have circulated

假定你是李华，你的美国笔友John来信请你介绍中国传统节日清明节。请根据下表要点，用英语给他写封回信。

要求：1.词数100左右；

2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

3.开头和结尾已经为你写好，但不计入总词数。

Dear John,

Glad to hear from you, I’d like to tell you something about the Qingming Festival.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

短文改错

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。

Our class joined in a meaningful activity during the winter vacation. First, we went to visit the old lady who lived all alone. Some chatted with her but others helped do a thorough cleaning for us. When the work was done, the house looked real neat and tidy. Then we went to the sport center, where all equipment needed polished. We set out to work at once. Everything was dust-free at no time. Having done all this, we saw a pleasant community than before. Tiring as we were, we felt happy as all of our work was paid off.

阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

Two new satellites of BeiDou Navigation (导航) Satellite System (BDS)1.(send) into space on a Long March-3D carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan Province, China at 2:07 a.m. on November 19, 2018. The satellites entered a Medium Earth orbit (轨道) 2.(safe) more than three hours later and will work with 17 other BDS-3 satellites already in space. They are also the 42nd and 43rd3.(member) of the BDS satellite family.

China launched these satellites with the aim of providing navigation services4.countries and regions which participate in the Belt and Road Proposal by the end of 2018. “This is a key and5.(value) step for BDS developing from a Chinese experimental system to a regional and then a global navigation system,” said Yang Changfeng, chief expert6.contributed much to the BeiDou system. The positioning7.(accurate) of the BDS-3 system has been improved to 2.5 meters to 5 meters, said Yang.

8.(name) after the Chinese term for the Big Dipper, the BeiDou system has been serving China for 18 years where another six BDS-3 satellites will be put into the Medium Earth orbit from 2019 to 2020. The system is expected9.(provide) first-class services around10.globe by the end of 2020.

    I always come across random acts of kindness in my life. Many years ago, I was _______Costa Rica when I found myself in an _______situation: my credit cards and bank cards went out of _________ abroad, and I only had $5 to my ________.

I had no way to get money. I didn’t know anybody in this country. I only knew basic Spanish, and besides the cash the only ________I had was a return ticket to my country in almost two ________. Back then, there was no such thing as mobile phones, and________email was very limited. To find help, I decided to go to the countryside . With the only coins I had, I _________the bus terminal(终点站）and found a village, which ________almost the exact amount. About 4 hours later, I arrived at Santa Rosa Abajo at midnight.

I knocked door to door,________in my very poor Spanish that I was a foreigner travelling in Costa Rica with no money but I ________to stay here for over ten days. I begged them for a __________－such as cooking , cleaning and looking after their kids, anything like that. Everybody _________, “oh my, but so poor are we that we have no _______ food or space. Maybe you can try the next ________.” And they’d point me to another house.

________, I arrived at a Chinese restaurant. The owner of the restaurant was very _________. She gave me food and called the Red Cross to come to ________me. With the help of the Red Cross , I spent my_________days in Costa Rica.

This is one of the best trips I’ve ever had, because I realized that when you’re in a position to be able to _________, it actually makes you feel happy.

1.A. circling B. entering C. visiting D. considering

2.A. absurd B. impossible C. ordinary D. awkward

3.A. date B. use C. range D. control

4.A. name B. delight C. wonder D. advantage

5.A. necessity B. memory C. impression D. possession

6.A. months B. weeks C. days D. hours

7.A. again B. thus C. yet D. even

8.A. looked for B. stayed at C. headed to D. thought of

9.A. cost B. saved C. earned D. created

10.A. reminding B. explaining C. apologizing D. informing

11.A. needed B. agreed C. failed D. hesitated

12.A. conversation B. meal C. room D. job

13.A. accepted B. nodded C. replied D. withdrew

14.A. prepared B. wasted C. extra D. cheap

15.A. family B. chance C. time D. restaurant

16.A. Normally B. Naturally C. Finally D. Directly

17.A. generous B. sensible C. wealthy D. outstanding

18.A. comfort B. rescue C. interview D. encourage

19.A. frightening B. training C. exciting D. remaining

20.A. help B. receive C. succeed D. travel

    After a long day at work, coming home is a breath of fresh air. Home is a comfortable place to sit back and relax. 1. Below are a number of things we can do to create a healthy home environment that will help to ease the workday stress and promote our physical and mental health.

Cleaning the house regularly is the first thing we should do. It may seem like a tiring thing to clean but there is a reason for doing so. We can remove dust by cleaning the house. Leaving layers of dust everywhere means that there is a build-up of dust. And where do these layers of dust go?2.

Making sure the rooms are full of sunlight is also important. We may not realize it but sunlight is an important part of our growth. We all know that sunlight promotes better working conditions. 3. Think about using a Parans system where sunlight does not reach. This technology gathers the sunlight by using solar panels. It can send out sunlight wherever we are.

4. Going green will help to remove toxins(毒素）in the air. They also give off oxygen, which can lower stress and improve our moods.

Along the lines of being green, it can also be vital to think about what things we are bringing into the house. Try to avoid specific plastics that are harmful to health. 5. They may contain poisonous chemicals that can be breathed in, or simple absorbed through the skin.

A. Into our lungs.

B. However, is it as healthy as it can be?

C. Is our home as comfortable as it used to be?

D. It is also a good idea to add more plants in our house.

E. The same thing applies to things like carpets and paint.

F. Besides, it can reduce both stress and high blood pressure.

G. It is acknowledges that a greener lifestyle is linked to better health.

    On average, Americans spend about 10 hours a day in front of a computer or other electronic devices and less than 30 minutes a day outdoors. That is a claim made by David Strayer, a professor of psychology at the University of Utah. In his 2017 TED Talk , Strayer explained that all this time spent with technology is making our brains tired.

Using an electronic device to answer emails, listen to the news and look at Facebook puts a lot of pressure on the front of the brain, which, Strayer explains, is important for critical thinking, problem-solving and decision-making.

So it is important to give the brain a rest. And being in nature, Strayer claims , helps get a tired brain away from too much technology. More than 15,000 campers from around the world attended an international camping festival in September. That is when friends and family take time off and escape to nature for several days. They take walks, climb, explore, swim, sleep, eat and play. Camping may be just what a tired brain needs.

Take Carl for example. He lives in West Virginia and enjoys camping. He says that staying outdoors makes him feel at ease. It also prepares him for the work he must do. Kate Somers is another example who also lives in West Virginia. She says she enjoys camping with her husband and two children. She calls it a “regenerative” experience.

At the University of Utah, David Strayer has studied both short-term and long-term exposure to nature. He found that spending short amounts of time in nature without technology does calm the brain and helps it to remember better. However, he found it is the long-term contact with nature that does the most good. He and his research team found spending three days in nature without any technology is enough time for the brain to fully relax and reset itself.

1.What is David Strayer’s opinion?

A. Americans dislike outdoor activities.

B. Electronic equipment should be quitted.

C. New technologies are a double-edged sword.

D. Electronic equipment brings great convenience.

2.Why does Strayer insist we go outdoors?

A. To refresh our brain B. To try another lifestyle

C. To make better decisions. D. To play with our family and friends

3.What does the underlined word “regenerative” mean?

A. Exhausting B. Ridiculous

C. Relevant. D. Reborn

4.Which is the proper title for the passage?

A. How to Use New Technologies. B. Good Rest Develops Good Memory.

C. Being in Nature Is Good for the Brain. D. Electronic Equipment Harms the Brain.

    A study showed that the experiences children have in their first few years are important . These experiences affect the development of the brain. When children receive more attention, they often have higher IQs. Babies receive information when they see, hear and feel things, which makes connections between different parts of the brain. There are a hundred trillion (万亿) connections in the brain of a three-year-old child.

Researcher Judit Gervain tested how good newborns are at distinguishing different sound patterns. Her researchers produced images of the brains of babies as they heard different sound patterns. For example, one order was mu-ba-ba. This is the pattern “A-B-B". Another order was mu-ba-ge. This is the pattern “A-B-C”. The images showed that the part of the brain responsible for speech was more active during the “A-B-B” pattern. This shows that babies can tell the difference between different patterns. They also were sensitive to where it occurred in the order.

Gervain is excited by these findings because the order of sounds is the building block of words and grammar. “Position is key to language," she says. “If something is at the beginning or at the end, it makes a big difference: ‘John caught the bear.’ is very different from ‘The bear caught John.’ ”

Researchers led by scientist Patricia Kuhl have found that language delivered by televisions, audio books,the Internet, or smartphones－no matter how educational－doesn’t appear to be enough for children’s brain development. They carried out a study of nine-month-old American babies. They expected the first group who’d watched videos in Chinese to show the same kind of learning as the second group who were brought face-to-face with the same sounds. Instead they found a huge difference. The babies in the second group were able to distinguish between similar Chinese sounds as well as native listeners. But the other babies －regardless of whether they had watched the video or listened to the audio－learned nothing.

1.What makes connections in a baby’s brain?

A. Having a higher IQ. B. The connection with other babies.

C. The baby’s early age. D. Experiencing new information.

2.What did Judit Gervain and her team find in the experiment?

A. Word order is relevant to meaning. B. Babies identify different sound patterns.

C. A certain brain region processes language. D. Babies can well understand different words.

3.What does the underlined sentence mean in Paragraph 3?

A. Words have different sounds.

B. Grammar is important in learning languages

C. Different orders have different meanings.

D. Different languages have different grammar.

4.What is the main conclusion from the study led by Patricia Kuhl?

A. Babies shouldn’t watch a lot of television.

B. Social communication improves babies’ brain development.

C. Listening to different languages helps to develop babies’ brain

D. Foreign languages are beneficial to babies’ brain development

    Judy Wright and her husband decided to move closer to their son, Chris, who lived in Georgia. About a month after the move, Judy fell ill, suffering from her ongoing (不间断的) battle against Parkinson disease.

Her condition worsened rapidly and she required medical care at home. The family hired a nursing aid who canceled at the last minute. Instead, a woman named TunDe Hector showed up in her place.

One day, TunDe shared a story with Judy and her family. She remembered a particularly difficult day in 2014, when a stranger had helped her with a kind gesture. She had run out of gas, and with only $5 in her pocket, was walking to a gas station. A man saw her walking and turned his car around. He paid for her gas and gave her all the cash left in his wallet. Upon hearing the story, Judy’s son, Chris, took off his hat and said ,“That was me!” He was the stranger that had helped TunDe on that difficult day.

During the care of Judy, the Wright family learned about TunDe’s family and her own dream. The nursing aid, TunDe hoped that one day she could become an OB-GYN nurse. Her tuition was past due (逾期) and she had a family to care for, but she was determined to achieve that goal for herself and her family.

Judy died on July 9,2017. Instead of flowers, her family asked mourners (悼念者) to donate to TunDe’s education, to assist her in paying for her nursing school. In less than a week, they raised more than $8,000 and presented her with the surprise check.

1.Why did Judy’s family choose TunDe in the end?

A. To help her with a kind gesture. B. To look after Judy in the hospital.

C. To replace another nursing aid. D. To give Judy the best medical care.

2.How might Chris feel when hearing TunDe’s story?

A. Thrilled B. Shocked

C. Puzzled D. Delighted

3.How did the Wright family help TunDe after Judy’s death?

A. They paid for her education. B. They helped care for her family.

C. They bought her a surprise present. D. They helped her realize her dream.

4.What does the whole story mainly tell us ?

A. Kindness comes full circle. B. Constant dropping wears stone.

C. The truth never fears investigation. D. Actions speak louder than words.

    Hiking is a great way to get active and reduce stress while you are exploring the city. Visit our page to find some of the best free walking tours across New York City.

Greenbelt on the Go

Tuesday, August 14, 2018   10:00a.m.---11:30a.m.

Join us for relaxing walks through our parks. Enjoy the pretty views of them, as we point out a few of the distinct features that make each park special. The length of each hike will be determined by the pace of the group. Considering the environment, your foods are not allowed. Registration is required. To register, please email naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org before August 14.

Position: Greenbelt Nature Center in Blood Root Valley, 700 Rockland Avenue at Brielle Avenue Staten Island

Event Organizer: Staten Island Greenbelt Conservancy, Greenbelt Environmental Education Department

Phone Number: (718)351-3450

Contact Email: naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org

Adult Afternoon Hikes

Wednesday, October 10,2018   1:30p.m.---3:00p.m.

Get familiar with the Greenbelt and local parks by hiking with other adults! You’re encouraged to bring small meals and drinks for the break time.

Position: Greenbelt Nature Center in Blood Root Valley, 700 Rockland Avenue at Brielle Avenue Staten Island

Event Organizer: Staten Island Greenbelt Conservancy, Greenbelt Environmental Education Department

Phone Number: (718)351-3450

Contact Email: naturecenter@sigreenbelt.org

The South Pole at Wards Point

Thursday ,November 15,2018   7:00a.m.---7:00p.m.

The three miles of nearby natural shoreline are a sandy beach. Shells, rocks, and stones of every shape and size can be found here. Not to be missed are the park’s other attractions: four galleries, and five historic houses!

Position: Conference House Park Visitor Center in Conference House Park, 298 Satterlee Street ,Staten Island

Event Organizer: Conference House Park

Contact  Email: john.kilcullen@parks .nyc.qov

Community Days at Conference House Park

Wednesda, September 19, 2018      12:00p.m.---2:00p.m.

Enjoy new gardens at the Visitor Center. Explore and help repair the three self-designed gardens: vegetable, native plant, and sculpture. Experience kids crafts, adult art programs, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, Peking Opera and more in this lovely setting.

Position: Conference House Park, 298 Satterlee Street, Staten Island

Event Organizer: Conference House Park

Phone  Number: (718)227-1463

Contact  Email: john.kilcullen@parks .nyc.qov

1.Which walking tour may attract people interested in Chinese culture?

A. Greenbelt on the Go. B. Adult Afternoon Hikes.

C. The South Pole at Wards Point    . D. Community Days at Conference House Park.

2.What do we know about Greenbelt on the Go?

A. The length of the hike is settled. B. Visitors need to register in advance.

C. People will visit three distinct parks. D. It takes place in Conference House Park.

3.What do the four walking tours have in common?

A. They all charged no fees. B. They are all open to adults.

C. They’re held by the same organizer. D. They require visitors to bring food.

请认真阅读下面短文，并按照要求用英语写一篇 150 词左右的文章。

（写作内容）

1. 用约 30 个单词概括图表及文字的内容；

2. 用约120个单词发表你的观点，内容包括：

（1）故宫推出文化创作产品的意义（不少于两点

（2）你想为故宫文化创作推出一款什么样的产品（上图仅供参考）并作简要说明。

（写作要求）

1.表明个人观点，同时提供理由或论据；

2.阐述观点或提供论据时，不得直接引用原文中的句子；

3.文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称；

4.不必写标题。

（评分标准） 内容完整，语言规范，语篇连贯，词数适合

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