Baths in Japan

In many western countries people do not bathe (沐浴) every day. Sometimes they bathe only once a week. Sometimes they bathe two or three times a week. They do not bathe often because the weather is cold or because hot water is expensive. They use electricity or wood to boil the water. Electricity and wood cost a lot of money. In cold countries people usually do not feel they are dirty if they do not have a bath.

In Japan people bathe very often. Most people have a bath every day. When the weather is hot they sometimes have two or three baths a day. They bathe in very hot water. Usually the water is almost boiling. They believe that these very hot baths also stop them from falling ill.

Each house has its own bathroom but there are also big bathhouses for everybody. They are found everywhere in Japan. In the bathhouse there is one part for men and one part for women. The bath is usually three meters wide, three meters long and about one meter deep: halfway down there is a narrow (狭窄的) seat that goes all the way around the bath. Many people use the bath but it is not dirty. Before a person gets into the big bath, they wash themselves first, and then get into the big bath. The person stays there for a short time. When they get out of the bath, they wash their body with soap and water. After the soap is all washed away, the person gets into the big bath again. Soap is not used in the big bath.

The water in the big bath is changed quite often. The water is also very hot. In some places people hit the water with sticks first. They do this to make the water cooler. Then the men get into the bath very slowly and carefully. When a man gets into a bath, he says. "Excuse me." He does this because most of the hot water comes directly out of the ground. In other places people boil the water with a big fire. In a small bath at home sometimes people light a fire under the bath. When the water is hot, people in the family take a bath one by one.

1.Which of the following is not true about baths?

A. Taking baths can help people relax themselves.

B. Taking baths can refresh people.

C. Taking baths can keep people clean.

D. Taking baths can make people nervous.

2.What do people use to boil water in many western countries?

A. Electricity. B. Gas.

C. Coal. D. Straw.

3.What is the size of a public bath?

A. Three meters long, three meters wide and about three meters deep.

B. Three meters long, one meter wide and about three meters deep.

C. Three meters long, three meters wide and about one meter deep.

D. One meter long, three meters wide and about three meters deep.

Sweet Dreams While You Sleep

Did you sleep the day away on Friday March 21? Well, you should have done that because it was World Sleeping Day.

This is the day of the year when people around the world care about their sleep and ask themselves questions about sleep.

Why do we need sleep?

Nobody as yet can give a perfect answer to this question. However, lab tests on rats have shown that lack (缺少) of sleep over about four weeks leads to a strong drop in body temperature, great weight loss and finally, death.

How much sleep?

Different people need different amounts of sleep. Eight hours a night is considered the average amount of sleep. For teenagers, the least number of sleeping hours advised by doctors are 10 hours for primary school students, nine for junior highs and eight for senior highs.

Some people seem to get along just well with very little sleep at night. Leading American scientist Thomas Edison, for example thought of sleep to be a waste of time. He did, however take naps (打盹) during the day. On the other hand, Albert Einstein, another great scientist, said he needed at least ten hours sleep a night.

How can we sleep well?

Here are some of the most popular tips for a good night's sleep:

*Listen to your body clock, not your alarm clock (闹钟).

*Use your bed only to sleep.

*Get up and go to bed at the same time (also on weekends).

*Exercise in the morning and in the early afternoon. Don't exercise in the evening.

*Stop looking at that clock while you can't sleep! And don't worry.

*Avoid alcohol (酒精), caffeine (咖啡因) and smoking before going to bed.

*Keep the bedroom dark, quiet, and cool.

1.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Thomas Edison slept very long hours every day.

B. Albert Einstein needed very little sleep.

C. Doctors suggested that primary school students have ten hours of sleep.

D. Doctors suggested that junior highs have eight hours of sleep.

2.Which of the following is not a good sleeping habit?

A. Have a cup of alcohol before going to bed.

B. Keep the bedroom dark, quiet and cool.

C. Get up and go to bed at the same time.

D. Listen to your body clock.

3.What is implied in this passage?

A. Bedrooms can be used for other purposes.

B. Great scientists need less sleep than ordinary people.

C. World sleeping day is the only time when people become concerned about sleep.

D. Results from lab tests on rats may be applicable to humans.

    You've heard of the fat suit and the pregnancy suit；now meet AGNES—the old person suit．

AGNES stands for“Age Gain Now Empathy(换位体验)System”and was designed by researchers at MIT's AgeLab to let you know what it feels like—physically—to be 75 years old．“The business of old age demands new tools，”said Joseph Coughlin，director of the AgeLab．“While focus groups and observations and surveys can help you understand what the older consumer needs and wants，young marketers never get that‘Ah ha!’moment of having difficulty opening a jar, or getting in and out of a car．That’s what AGNES provides．”

Coughlin and his team carefully adjusted the suit to make the wearer just as uncomfortable as an old person who has spent a lifetime eating poorly and not doing much exercise．Special shoes provide a feeling of imbalance，while braces on the knees and elbows limit joint mobility．Gloves give the feeling of decreased strength and mobility in the hands and wrists，and earplugs make it difficult to hear high—pitched sounds and soft tones．A helmet with straps(带)attached to it presses the spine(脊柱)，and more straps attached to the shoes decrease hamstring flexibility, and shortens the wearer's step．

AGNES has been used most recently by a group of students working on a design of an updated walker．By wearing the suit they could see for themselves what design and materials would make the most sense for a physically limited older person．Coughlin said the suit has also been used by clothing companies，car companies and retail goods companies to help them understand the limitations of an older consumer．

“AGNES is not the destiny of everybody,”he said．“She is a badly behaved lady who didn't eat and exercise very well．A secondary benefit we’ve found with AGNES is that it has become a powerful tool to get younger people to invest in their long-term health．”

1.AGNES has been developed to        ．

A. make the users more comfortable B. 1et us understand old people better

C. help old people move more quickly D. produce new tools for the old-age business

2.According to the article，young marketers never       ．

A. feel the same way as old people do B. see the efforts old people make

C. ask what old people need and want D. say“Ah ha!”when they meet with difficulty

3.The 3rd paragraph mainly tells about       ．

A. how the AGNES wearer feels B. how AGNES has been developed

C. how old people act D. how AGNES works

4.“An updated walker”(underlined)most likely refers to     ．

A. someone who travels a lot

B. a physically limited old person

C. some equipment that helps old people walk

D. a company whose service involves old people

5.Which may be a fact resulting from the“secondary benefit”of AGNES?

A. Young people respect old people． B. Old-age business improves their service·

C. Old people eat and exercise well． D. Young people eat and exercise well．

Rediscovery

I used to be a happy child with a loving family and many friends. I had a ______ that could brighten a cold winter day and I had a special love for life.

At twelve, my life had a huge breakdown. It was then that I _____ OCD (强迫症). I started to wash my hands ten times an hour, and I constantly ______ my kitchen oven to make sure that it was off. This way of lifecontinued for four painful years, and by then, my OCD had led to depression (抑郁). I was no longer the ______ little girl I had been.

In the tenth grade I finally ____ to my mother that I was suffering from depression along with my OCD. My mom took me to a doctor and I started taking _____. Over a few months, the medicine did help the OCD, but I still was struggling with depression.

One autumn evening, I hit rock bottom. I thought suicide (自杀) was the only _____to my depression problem, so I decided to write a suicide note. As I was ______ it, my eyes fell on a photo. It was a ______ of an adorable little girl, wearing her red soccer uniform and holding a bike helmet. She had a bright smile that showed she was full of life.

It took me a few minutes to______who the girl in the photo was. The photo had been taken when I was seven years old. I almost couldn’t believe that smiling child was me. I felt a chill go down my spine (脊柱). It was like my younger self had sent me a ______. Right then and there I knew I couldn’t kill myself. Once I had been a strong little girl, and I had to become ____ like that again.

I tore up my suicide note and _____ that I would not rely only on my medicine. I would have to fight the depression with my mind, too. I could make myself happy again.

It has been two years since I _____ myself. The real reason I am healed is that I took action and refused to let depression ______my life. I learned a lifelong _____: Never give up. Everyone has challenges in life, but everyone can _____. I am living proof of that.

Now I am prepared for whatever _____ life may bring. I have a role model to ______up to for strength, and who is guiding me ______ life. My hero is a seven-year-old girl, smiling back at me from a photo on my desk.

1.A. dream B. thought C. hope D. smile

2.A. prevented B. treated C. developed D. discovered

3.A. checked B. fixed C. touched D. tested

4.A. pretty B. happy C. popular D. lovely

5.A. admitted B. suggested C. showed D. replied

6.A. classes B. medicine C. exercise D. notes

7.A. response B. door C. entrance D. solution

8.A. posting B. copying C. finishing D. revising

9.A. picture B. figure C. model D. shadow

10.A. explain B. realize C. question D. describe

11.A. gift B. card C. message D. letter

12.A. open B. strong C. lively D. athletic

13.A. advised B. doubted C. promised D. imagined

14.A. rejected B. replaced C. recalled D. rediscovered

15.A. risk B. abandon C. ruin D. waste

16.A. lesson B. skill C. class D. experience

17.A. escape B. quit C. recover D. survive

18.A. adventures B. benefits C. opportunities D. challenges

19.A. come B. look C. make D. add

20.A. through B. over C. across D. from

在未给提示词的空白处仅填写 1个适当的单词，在给出提示词的空白处用括号内所给词的正确形式填空。

Johann Strauss was 1. Austrian composer of light  music，particularly dance  music and operettas (轻歌剧). He was born  in Vienna in 1825. Although his father didn't  want him 2. (become) a musician, Strauss studied the violin 3. (secret) when he was a child. When his father discovered his son was practicing on a violin one day, he gave him a beating, 4. (say) that he was going to beat the music out of  the boy. But that didn't prevent the boy from becoming one of the greatest 5. (composer) of all time. He wrote his first waltz at six. At the age of 19, he decided to devote himself to 6. (write) music. He formed his own orchestra and made a  successful tour to Europe and soon became  famous. The emperor of Austria was so 7. (please) with his music that he  appointed him the conductor at the court balls  of Vienna. It was for these occasions that he  wrote some of his most popular waltzes, among 8. was the well­known favorite TheBlueDanube. In all，the talented Johann Strauss  wrote more than 500 masterpieces. In his  lifetime, he was known 9. the Waltz  King, and was largely responsible for the10. (popular) of the waltz in Vienna during the 19th century.

假定你是李华。上周末学校组织了一次到野生动物园的研学活动（field trip）。请给你的英国朋友Alice写一封信，介绍这次活动，内容包括：

1. 活动目的；

2. 活动内容；

3. 收获与感受。

注意：1. 词数100左右；

2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Alice,

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Yours,

Li Hua

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。

When I was in Grade 8, my family move to Seattle, so I had to go to a new school. Being in a unfamiliar place, I felt lonely and frightening. Worse still, some subjects were so difficult to learn from that I had no idea how to adapt to the new environment. My teachers noticed my problems but often encouraged me. With their help, I made some progresses in my lessons. However, it wasn’t easy make friends. My classmates had already known each other. I found it hardly to fit in. My mother suggested that I chatted with them. Following his advice, I soon got a few good friends.

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been around 1. thousands of years. It is said that there are three emperors 2. played a significant role in the history of TCM.

First, Fu Xi discovered the flow between heaven and earth which he reflected in the principles of Yin and Yang. Yin and Yang theory 3. (be) the concept of two opposite but complementary (互补的) forces that shape all life. He also invented acupuncture (针灸). Second, Shen Nong 4. (regard) as the founder of Chinese herbal medicine even today. In order to determine the nature of different herbs, he tasted various kinds of plants, testing 5. (they) individual effects. Third, Huang Di is associated with Huang Di Nei Jing, which is the 6. (early) and most important written record of TCM. It lays a foundation for the theories of Chinese medicine.

TCM has made a great 7. (contribute) to the health of Chinese people, and it has become an independent medical system in world medical field. Since 8. founding of the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese government has attached great importance to TCM, making policies 9. (promote) its development. TCM is now becoming 10. (wide) accepted in the world.

    Soon after Susan settled down on a flight to Illinois this pas May, she glanced over at her seatmate.He was in his 60s, _______ bright yellow sunglasses, and was busy _______ a message. The screen of the phone was big and _______, making it easy for Susan to _______ what he was tapping out: “Hey Babe, I’m setting next to a smell fatty.”

It reminded Susan of the _______ things she thought about herself on a daily basis. _______ tears streamed down her cheeks.

_______ a row behind them was David, a 35-year-old bar manager. He could see the man’s _______ on the phone, too — and he could see Susan. “I _______ her looking at his phone,” David told wsmv. com. “I was sick to my stomach. I could not have this guy sitting next to her this whole flight and have her thinking he’s ________ her.”

In an instant, David ________ his seat belt and stood up. “Hey, I need to talk to you,” David told the man.“ We are ________ seats! Now!” When the man asked ________, David said, “You’re texting about her, and I’m not ________ that.” The man hand to ________ quickly. David took his place next to Susan and was soon cheering up his new ________. “He told me not to let the guy ________ me and that everything was going to be fine,” Susan wrote in a Facebook post after the flight. And he was right. She and David spent the rest of the flight ________ like old friends.

With her ________ in humanity restored (恢复), Susan ________ on Facebook, “The flight attendant told him that he was her hero.He wasn’t her hero—he was mine.”

1.A. wore B. removed C. polished D. adjusted

2.A. whispering B. posting C. sending D. copying

3.A. narrow B. bright C. blank D. flat

4.A. guess B. predict C. recall D. read

5.A. comfortable B. ridiculous C. negative D. positive

6.A. Regularly B. Soon C. Anyway D. Constantly

7.A. Sitting B. Hiding C. Standing D. Lying

8.A. picture B. passage C. message D. game

9.A. heard B. left C. stopped D. noticed

10.A. making fun of B. relying on C. giving up D. looking after

11.A. found B. unfastened C. tightened D. caught

12.A. booking B. choosing C. switching D. taking

13.A. where B. when C. how D. why

14.A. accepting B. doubting C. knowing D. judging

15.A. refuse B. answer C. agree D. explain

16.A. customer B. seatmate C. manager D. employee

17.A. abandon B. control C. cheat D. annoy

18.A. chatting B. working C. cheering D. playing

19.A. worry B. faith C. knowledge D. view

20.A. complained B. wrote C. warned D. sign

    Are you sometimes stressed? Singing is a simple and effective way to reduce stress. It is beneficial mainly in the following three aspects.

Physical Benefits

1. This is especially recommended for the elders and those who have some form of disability in their voice. However, it is important to find a capable instructor to employ good singing techniques so as not to further damage vocal cords (声带) or lungs.

Singing also helps to improve your posture (姿势). Most people think that singing begins and ends with their mouth. 2. Singing practice will get you used to the proper body position of standing and help you form the good habit of standing straight.

Emotional Benefits

Singing helps in reducing your depression and lowering your stress level. When you sing, your body releases chemicals that make you feel happy, easing the tension and helping you to relax. 3.

Social Benefits

The social benefits of singing are huge. 4. So people who suffer from stage fright are advised to sing in front of family and friends before a live performance.

Singing is also very good for improving your communication skills. It is said that singing to babies helps to prepare their brains for language and may lessen the risk of language problems later in life. 5. The time spent in group singing, whether in a choir or at karaoke, creates a deep and lasting bond of friendship.

A. Try to regain your memory by singing.

B. First, it can help build up your confidence greatly.

C. When you sing, you can give your lungs a workout.

D Singing helps you to strengthen your immune system.

E. For adults, singing also enlarges your circle of friends.

F. In fact, the position of each body part affects your voice.

G. So, start to sing your favorite song next time you are feeling upset.

    Stanford University has begun an investigation following claims that some of its staff knew long ago of Chinese scientist He Jiankui’s plans to create the world’s first gene-edited babies.

A university official said a review was under way of interactions some faculty members had with He. who was educated at Stanford. Several professors including He’s former research adviser have said that they knew or strongly suspected that He wanted to try gene editing on embryos (胚胎).

The Chinese genetic scientist posted a video on You Tube in November 2018. He claimed in the video that he had used a gene-editing tool Crispr-Cas9 to modify (修改) a particular gene in two embryos before they were placed in their mother’s womb (子宫). He, who works in a lab in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, said the twin girls, known as Lulu and Nana, were born using an egg that was modified. He focused on HIV infection prevention because the father is HIV positive. “Now the father has a reason to live, a reason to work, he has a purpose,” He said.

Editing the genes of embryos, which can change other genes, is banned in many countries because DNA changes are passed to future generations and could have unforeseen effects on the entire gene pool.

China’s national health commission ordered officials to “seriously investigate” He’s claims. Shenzhen’s health and family planning commission said it was investigating the review process around He’ s work.

Research institutions connected to He have distanced themselves from him. “This research work was carried out by Professor He Jiankui outside of the school,” said the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen. It called his research a “serious violation of academic ethics (道德)”.

1.What did He Jiankui claim in the video posted on You Tube?

A. He was wrong in trying gene editing on embryos.

B. He prevented the twins from developing cancer.

C. He modified a gene in Lulu and Nana’s embryos.

D. He was influenced by his research adviser in Stanford.

2.Why is gene editing of embryos banned in many countries?

A. The effect of DNA changes on the gene pool is unforeseeable.

B. It causes disabilities to the gene-edited babies.

C. The future generations will rely on gene editing.

D. It will affect all the healthy genes of the embryos.

3.How did the university in Shenzhen react to He’s video claim?

A. It ordered investigations to be conducted.

B. It called the incident a big shame for the nation.

C. It declared not related to He’s research.

D. It kept a distance from the media.

4.Which can be a suitable title for the text?

A. The USA Bans Gene-editing

B. What are the Ethics of Medical Treatment?

C. Scientists Find the Idea of Gene-edited Babies Crazy

D. Stanford Investigates Links to Scientist in Gene Editing

    The legislature(立法机构) finds that the cigarette is considered one of the deadliest products in human history. So begins a new bill introduced in Hawaii’s State House, calling for a ban on cigarette sales in the state by 2024.

Hawaii has some of the most restrictive cigarette laws in the nation. In 2016, it became the first state to raise the age to buy cigarettes to 21. Now, its new bill calls for raising the cigarette-buying age to 30 by 2020, up to 40, 50 and 60 in each following year, and up to 100 by 2024. That would effectively clear Hawai’s store shelves of cigarettes, although tourists could still bring them in. The age limits would not apply to e-cigarettes, cigars or chewing tobacco.

And curiously,, Hawaii would offer its centenarians (百岁老人) the chance to buy cigarettes ear the end of their life — if they could find them

Richard Creagan, the bill’s sponsor, said that he hoped the bill could represent an “endgame” for the cigarette problem, and that it might be easier to pass the bill in Hawaii than in a mainland state.

“On the mainland they have more trouble with this because they have states around them that are selling cigarettes,” he said. “We don’t have any states around us. And that’s why I thought it could be done here, and it would be kind of an example for the rest of the nation and the world.”

Creagan told the Hawaii Tribune-Herald he’s confident that the bill will survive any court challenges.

In 2015, the National Academy of Sciences released a report arguing that increasing the age to buy tobacco to 21 would have a “considerable impact” on the age at which someone takes their first puff. The report also suggested “if someone is not a regular tobacco user by age 25, it is highly unlikely he or she will become one.”

1.What can we know about Hawaii from Paragraph 2?

A. Hawaii has no cigarette laws at present.

B. The cigarette-buying age will be 50 in 2023.

C. The age to buy cigarettes was raised to 21 in 2016.

D. All cigarette stores in the state have been closed.

2.What does the new bill call for?

A. Even tourists can’t bring cigarettes to Hawaii.

B. No one under 100 can buy cigarettes by 2024.

C. Hawaiians can’t buy cigarettes in other states.

D. Growing tobacco is not allowed in Hawaii.

3.The underlined words in the last paragraph mean “________”.

A. buys their first pack of cigarettes

B. smokes their first cigarette

C. quits smoking for the first time

D. first offers cigarettes to others

4.What is the main idea of the text?

A. Hawaii is considering a bill to ban cigarette sales.

B. Hawaii will lower the cigarette-buying age.

C. Hawaii is to ban smoking in its neighboring states.

D. Hawaii has released a report on the harm of smoking.

    China has entered the cinematic space race. Wandering Earth, the country’s first blockbuster science fiction film, is on track to be one of the highest-grossing (总收入) films in China’s history.

The film has brought in more than 2bn yuan (£232m) in the six days since its release on February 5. So far, it is the highest-grossing film released over the holiday season, a peak time for the Chinese box office.

Wandering Earth is based on the work of Liu Cixin, the author of the Three-Body Problem series and the first Chinese author to win a Hugo award.

“Wandering Earth fills the gap in Chinese science fiction movies. It means that China’s science fiction movies have officially set sail,” one fan of the film wrote on the review site Douban.

The film is seen by some as the dawn of Chinese sci-fi — a genre that has long been led by Hollywood. Several other Chinese-made sci-fi films are due to debut (首映) this year, including Shanghai Fortress, about an alien invasion, and Pathfinder, which follows a spaceship that has crashed on a deserted planet.

Frant Gwo, the director of Wandering Earth, said, “2019 could be remembered as year zero of Chinese science-fiction blockbusters. It is not just about one successful movie but about multiple films.”

Critics of the film have pointed out the plot holes and the one-dimensional female characters — something Wandering Earth shares with its Hollywood peers.

In response to plot criticisms about the necessity of ejecting (喷射) Earth from the solar system, Liu said: “Of course we don’t need to escape soon. That’s why it’s a movie instead of a real-life crisis.”

1.Wandering Earth has become China’s ________.

A. first blockbuster sci-fi film B. highest-grossing film

C. only sci-fi film this year D. first sci-fi film to win an award

2.What is the fan’s attitude toward the film according to Paragraph 4?

A. Doubtful. B. Negative.

C. Praiseful. D. Uncaring.

3.Which aspect do the critics think is a shortcoming of the film?

A. The theory. B. The ending.

C. The special effects. D. The plot holes.

    Barcelona Ciclo Tour, 1 of the 10 best bike tours in the world!

Gaudi, the ancient streets of the gothic quarter, the multi-cultural district of El Raval. the beaches and modernism buildings, by bike!

The Daily Barcelona Bike Tour

The best way to see Barcelona is by bike! Enjoy Barcelona’s most popular sights including: the works of Gaudi including the Sagrada Familia, the Gothic Quarter, the Cathedral and Roman City walls, Pare Ciutadella, the beaches and much more, all in a relaxing tour with 17 stops.

In English, our trained guides tell the fascinating truth and stories behind Barcelona’s most famous buildings and many hidden secrets.

No previous reservation needed. Just come along to experience the real Barcelona as you discover the whole city by bike.

Things prepared for you

●     1 bike per person

●     3.5-hour tour with guide

●     A free bottle of water

●     A free drink at a beach café

●     A handlebar-bag for personal belongings

●     Free helmets and child seats available on request

What do you need to bring? As little as possible: comfortable clothes, some money and a camera. We can also store your backpack safely in a locker.

Tour times

●     11:00 am Morning Tour

Every day of the year except December 25 and January 1.

●     4:30 pm Afternoon Tour

Every day from April 15 to October 31.

●     7: 30 pm Night Tour

Every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from June I to September 30 and every Friday and Saturday in October.

Departure point

Placa Catalunya, at the door of Hard Rock Café

Watch for our guides in their Ciclo Tour T-shirts. Please arrive 10 minutes before departure time.

Contact us

If you are coming to Barcelona, do not hesitate to contact us for a quote, We would be happy to prepare a bike tour for you.

Tel: +34 933 171 970

1.According to the text, which is included in the bike tour?

A. A Spanish-speaking tour guide.

B. A free meal in a local restaurant.

C. Free admission to 17 popular sights.

D. A free bag for personal use.

2.If you travel to Barcelona during the Spring Festival, which tour can you choose?

A. The 11: 00 am Morning Tour.

B. The 4: 30 pm Afternoon Tour.

C. The 7: 30 pm Night Tour.

D. None of the above.

3.To join in the bike tour, what do you need to do?

A. Buy a helmet and bring a bottle of water.

B. Pay for the tour at least one day in advance.

C. Come to the departure point 10 minutes early.

D. Get a T-shirt from the tour guide when you arrive.

4.What is the text intended as?

A. A travel tip. B. A tour ad.

C. A travel journal. D. A tour schedule.

假如你是高三学生李华，三月初你在网上买了一件夹克（jacket），打算送给妈妈作为“三八妇女节”的礼物。但到货后发现了下列一些问题，请给该网站写一封投诉信，投诉信内容如下表：

要点：

1.介绍购物情况；  2. 反映存在问题； 3.提出解决方案。

注意:

1.书信内容包括以上要点；

2.词数100左右(书信格式已给出，不计入总词数)；

3.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Dear Sir or Madam,

I’m writing to complain about the jacket which I bought from your website. This morning I received the jacket on time, but__________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I am looking forward to your early reply.

Yours sincerely,

Li Hua

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（Λ），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．

Dear Mike，

I'm very glad to receive the letter you sent me． I have been thinking the question you asked me． From my point of view， you can come to China after finished your studies．

For the one reason， China's development offers a number of job opportunity for the young． What's more， what you are studying is bad needed in China nowadays． In fact， many big companies in our city are hoping to hire people like me．

For another reason， China is a country with such a different culture as many foreigners enjoy living and working here． Why not come but join them？ If you came here， I will do how I can to help you．

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

On October 23rd, 2018，President Xi Jinping announced the opening of the Hong Kong– Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) at an opening ceremony in Zhuhai, Guangdong province.

The HZMB, 1. (locate) at the waters of the Lingdingyang of Pearl River Estuary, is a huge sea crossing, linking Hong Kong and Macao to the Chinese mainland city of Zhuhai. As the world’s 2. (long) sea-based project, the 55-kilometre bridge is the result of five years of research and another nine years of building. It has been described as one of the “seven 3. (wonder) of the modern world” by the Guardian.

The project 4. (make) up of a 22.9-kilometer-long main bridge, a 6.7-kilometer-long tunnel and an artificial island off the bridge. It is designed with 5. service life of 120 years. It can withstand a strong wind equal 6. a maximum Beaufort scale 16. The bridge’s engineers had to consider many environmental factors to protect the 7. (surround) environment while building the bridge. Chinese white dolphins, an endangered species that lives in the area, 8. (be) a particular concern.

The HZMB will make 9. much more convenient to travel between the three areas it connects. It will bring people in Hong Kong, Macao and Guangdong within a “one-hour living circle”, 10. is expected to attract more visitors to the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. It will be a transport link as well as a social, economic, cultural, and tourism connection among the three areas.

    Many years ago at Christmas time I parked my car in the town centre on my way to the post office to post my Christmas cards. It was the last posting day for Christmas cards if they were to be ______ before Christmas. ______ I came out of the car park I saw a boy who was ______ and holding his right hand side. I ______ some bigger boys had perhaps bullied him and he was in ______ . I had to go to his aid and see if I could ________.

He told me that his sister who was a ______ had bought him a Christmas present. It was a mobile phone. He only had it days when he ________ it and cracked the screen! That’s ________ he was holding his right hand side of his body—his mobile phone was in the upper right hand pocket of his coat. The little guy was extremely _______, tears rolling down his face as he told all this to me. My heart _________ for him. It was clear he ______ his present and knew that this was a lot of money for his __________ to spend on him, for nurses didn’t make much money. He’d been to a phone shop and they’d told him it would be ￡80 to get a new _________ .

I had to help, though I was ________ to make ends meet myself. I searched my purse and gave the boy the only ￡20 I could find and made some ________ as to why I could only give him so little. I didn’t want him to know it was all I had until pay day. I could not ______ pay for his phone to be repaired but I hope the ________ he received from a stranger was ________ that stayed with him when he became a man.

The Christmas cards not getting posted somehow didn’t seem ______; greater issues had been addressed with a kindness stamp.

1.A. decorated B. received C. accepted D. bought

2.A. Since B. Until C. As D. Unless

3.A. sobbing B. fighting C. bleeding D. starving

4.A. saw B. heard C. remembered D. thought

5.A. pain B. surprise C. relief D. debt

6.A. park B. pay C. leave D. help

7.A. teacher B. nurse C. doctor D. 1awyer

8.A. lost B. sold C. dropped D. repaired

9.A. when B. where C. how D. why

10.A. sad B. tired C. grateful D. embarrassed

11.A. beat B. jumped C. worried D. ached

12.A. destroyed B. missed C. valued D. disliked

13.A. mother B. sister C. brother D. friend

14.A. screen B. computer C. phone D. present

15.A. preparing B. begging C. struggling D. deciding

16.A. change B. excuse C. apology D. noise

17.A. fully B. usually C. hardly D. warmly

18.A. money B. gift C. wish D. kindness

19.A. somebody B. somewhere C. something D. sometime

20.A. beautiful B. important C. possible D. expensive

    All over the world people are hooked on sports, which help them to strengthen their body and build their character. 1. They improve the participants’ physical skills, and provide entertainment for the audience as well.

Many people like to watch others play games. 2. Often they get very excited when “their” player or team wins. If they are crazy about the game or the player, then they’ll become their die-hard fans. Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them. Football, for example, has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in countries near the sea or in those with many rivers. 3. And think of people in cold countries. Masses of people love to skate or ski in Japan, Norway or Canada.

4. Chinese boxing, also has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new, which started in the late of the nineteenth century. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. Water skiing, as a modern game, is one of the newest in the family of sports.

People from different countries or races may not be able to understand each other, but after a game, they get to know each other better and they often become good friends. 5. They learn to fight hard but fight fair, to win without pride and to lose with grace. They also learn to be competitive and optimistic, which will equip them for life challenges in the future.

A. They buy tickets or turn on the TV to watch the games.

B. What fun it is to jump into a pool or lake, whether in China, Egypt or Italy!

C. Some sports or games date back thousands of years, like running or jumping.

D. Sports help to train a person’s character.

E. Chinese people liked doing sports even in ancient times.

F. Sports are competitive physical activities or games through casual or organized participation.

G. And the friendship may last for a life time.

    Chinese scientists recently have produced two monkeys with the same gene, Zhong Zhong and Hua Hua, using the same technique that gave us Dolly the sheep. These monkeys are not actually the first primates（灵长类）to be cloned. Another one named Tetra was produced in the late 1990s by embryo（胚胎）splitting, the division of an early-stage embryo into two or four separate cells to make clones. By contrast, they were each made by replacing an egg cell nucleus（原子核）with DNA from a differentiated body cell. This Dolly method, known as somatic cell nuclear transfer（SCNT）, can create more clones and allows researchers greater control over the edits they make to the DNA.

Success came from adopting several new techniques. These included a new type of microscopy to better view the cells during handling or using several materials that encourage cell reprogramming, which hadn’t been tried before on primates. Still, the research process proved difficult, and many attempts by the team failed. Just two healthy baby monkeys born from more than 60 tested mothers. This leads to many researchers’ pouring water on the idea that the team’s results bring scientists closer to cloning humans. They thought this work is not a stepping stone to establishing methods for obtaining live born human clones. Instead, this clearly remains a very foolish thing to attempt, it would be far too inefficient, far too unsafe, and it is also pointless.

But the scientists involved emphasize that this is not their goal. There is now no barrier for cloning primate species, thus cloning humans is closer to reality. However, their research purpose is entirely for producing non-human primate models for human diseases; they absolutely have no intention, and society will not permit this work to be extended to humans. Despite limitations, they treat this breakthrough a novel model system for scientists studying human biology and disease.

1.What do we know about the technology called SCNT?

A. It created the first two primates.

B. It may contribute to editing the DNA.

C. It can divide an early-stage embryo into several cells.

D. It produced two cloned monkeys with different genes.

2.What does the author mean by “pouring water on the idea” in paragraph 2?

A. Keeping a hot topic of it.

B. Attaching no importance to it.

C. Having a low opinion of it.

D. Adding supportive evidence to it.

3.What is the scientists’ purpose to clone these monkeys?

A. To prepare for their research on human cloning.

B. To serve as a stepping stone to their reputation.

C. To help with the study of human diseases.

D. To raise money for holding an exhibition of novels.

4.What can we infer from the passage?

A. Cloning humans is already on its way.

B. New techniques seem to be pointless.

C. Society won’t agree to clone another monkey.

D. The success rate of cloning a monkey was not high.

    LOS ANGELES, Nov. 12 (Xinhua)—Legendary comic book writer Stan Lee has died at the age of 95, according to media reports on Monday.

Lee, born in Stanley Lieber on Dec. 28th, 1922, began his career in 1939 and joined the Marvel Comics in 1961.

He is considered as one of the most legendary names in the history of comic books and the leading creative force behind the rise of Marvel Comics. He co-created iconic fictional characters such as Spider-Man, X-Men, the Avengers, and many more.

Lee’s characters often have super powers, but they also have weaknesses. They were humans, not gods. They not only struggled to save the world, but also to pay their bills, make friends, and hold jobs. This made Marvel comic book heroes stand apart from its competitor DC, which produced the seemingly perfect heroes like Superman and Wonder Woman. Those superheroes have been adapted into blockbuster films, most of which were made after Disney acquired Marvel in a 4-billion-dollar deal in 2009.

In a statement, Bob Iger, chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company said Stan Lee was as extraordinary as the characters he created.

Marvel also praised Lee on its website by putting on one of Lee’s famous quotes, which goes, “I used to be embarrassed because I was just a comic-book writer while other people were building bridges or going on to medical careers. And then I began to realize: entertainment is one of the most important things in people’s lives. Without it, they might go off the deep end. I feel that if you’re able to entertain, you’re doing a good thing. ”

Praise from his Hollywood peers and colleagues was generous. President of Marvel Studios Kevin Feige appreciated Lee’s unparalleled impact on the industry. “No one has had more of an impact on my career than Stan Lee,” Feige said. “Our thoughts are with his family and the millions of fans who have been forever touched by Stan’s genius, charisma and heart.”

1.How do Lee’s characters differ from those of DC?

A. They are perfect heroes.

B. They often have super powers.

C. They are not humans, but gods.

D. They have human shortcomings.

2.We can learn from Lee’s statement in Paragraph 6 that ________.

A. it is embarrassing to be a comic-book writer

B. a taste of entertainment is necessary in people’s lives

C. entertainment is the most important thing in the world

D. you can do everything well if you are able to entertain

3.According to the passage, we could know that ________.

A. Lee influenced Kevin Feige’s career a lot

B. Lee joined the Marvel Comics in his forties

C. Lee created the fictional characters all by himself

D. The superheroes were adapted into films before Disney acquired Marvel

4.What can be the best title for the passage?

A. Comics Legend—the Marvels and DC

B. The Superheroes in Stan Lee’s Comics

C. Marvel’s Comics Legend Stan Lee Dies at 95

D. The Life Story of Marvel Comics Legend Stan Lee

    I sat with my friend in a well-known coffee shop in a neighboring town of Venice. As we enjoyed our coffee, a man called the waiter and placed his order, “Two cups of coffee, one on the wall.” We got interested and observed that he was served with one cup of coffee but he paid for two. As soon as he left, the waiter attached a piece of paper to the wall saying “A Cup of Coffee.” Similar occasions took place twice while we were there. It seemed that this gesture was quite normal at this place. However, it was something unique and confusing for us.

After a few days, when we again enjoyed coffee there, a man entered. The way this man was dressed did not match the standard or the atmosphere of this coffee shop. Poverty was evident from his looks. As he seated himself, he looked at the wall and said, “One cup of coffee from the wall.” The waiter served coffee to this man with respect and dignity. The man had his coffee and left without paying. We were amazed to watch all this when the waiter took off a piece of paper from the wall and threw it in the dustbin.

Now it was no surprise for us; the matter was very clear. The great respect for the needy shown by people in this town moved us to tears.

Coffee is not a necessity. However, the point is that when we take pleasure in any blessing, maybe we also need to think about those people who also appreciate that specific blessing but cannot afford.

Note the waiter, who gets the communication going between the affording and the needy with a smile on his face. Think about the man in need: he enters the coffee shop without having to lower his self-dignity; he has a free cup of coffee without asking or knowing about who has given this cup of coffee to him; he only looked at the wall, placed an order for himself, enjoyed his coffee and left. Besides, we need to remember the role played by the wall that reflects the generosity and care of people in this town.

1.What made the author interested as well as confused?

A. The waiter’s making normal gestures.

B. Customers’ buying coffee for the needy.

C. The waiter’s attaching coffee orders on the wall.

D. Customers’ paying for coffee and having it put on the wall.

2.The author thought the man in need was ______.

A. not properly dressed

B. obviously poor

C. not right to leave without paying

D. strange to order coffee from the wall

3.In the author’s opinion, coffee is _____.

A. necessary in our life

B. respect shown for the needy

C. a blessing to someone who can’t afford

D. a blessing everyone should have

4.The passage is mainly concerned about ______.

A. learning from the waiter

B. buying coffee for others

C. caring more about the people in need

D. analyzing the characters in the coffee shop

Your 2018 Reading List, Provided by Bill Gates

Most of us can’t live like billionaire Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, but we can read like him. Gates recommended four books in 2018—though some were published earlier.

Leonardo da Vinci, by Walter Isaacson (2017)

The bestselling biographer of Steve Jobs and Albert Einstein researched deeply into da Vinci’s contributions beyond art, highlighting the breadth of his scientific, technological, and creative output. “Leonardo nearly understood almost all of what was known on the planet at the time. That’s mostly because of his curiosity about every area of natural science and the human experience,” said Gates.

The Best We Could Do: An Illustrated Memoir, by Thi Bui (2017)

Gates calls this graphic novel “really impressive”. Bui is the daughter of Vietnamese refugees who came to America after the fall of Saigon, and becoming a parent inspired her to look into her own parents’ miserable history. “I was struck by how the experiences Bui illustrates manage to be both universal and specific to their circumstances,” said Gates.

Lincoln in the Bardo, by George Saunders (2018)

Saunders, a long-time short story writer, won high praise for this novel. The book imagines the ghosts that haunt (萦绕) the basement of Willie Lincoln, Abraham Lincoln’s son, who died at 11 in real life. “Willie’s death after the Civil War made the president have a new understanding of the grief he’s creating in other families by sending their sons off to die in battle,” said Gates.

Origin Story: A Big History of Everything, by David Christian (2018)

This new book is by the creator of Big History, a free, online social studies course. It traces history in wide, sweeping movements, starting with the Big Bang, and it provides, in effect, a short course in modern science. This is a brief history of the universe. “David gets a little stuck on the current economic and political problems in the West, and I wish he talked more about the role innovation will play in preventing the worst effects of climate change,” said Gates.

1.Which books refer to the field of science?

A. Origin Story and Leonardo da Vinci.

B. Lincoln in the Bardo and Origin Story.

C. Leonardo da Vinci and The Best We Could Do.

D. The Best We Could Do and Lincoln in the Bardo.

2.If you are interested in thrillers, whose book will you most probably choose?

A. Walter Isaacson. B. Thi Bui.

C. George Saunders. D. David Christian.

3.Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. The Best We Could Do is an autobiography.

B. Lincoln in the Bardo has been warmly received.

C. David Christian talks much about the part that innovation will play.

D. Readers can only read about Leonardo da Vinci’s contributions towards art.

假定你是中学生李华，你的美国笔友Harry来信说想学习中国的古诗(ancient poems)，

请你推荐一本有助于学习古诗的书籍。请给他回复邮件，内容包括：

1．书名及作者：

2．推荐理由；

3．表达祝愿。

注意：1．词数100词左右：

2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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短文。短文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。错误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：在错的词下画一横线，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。

I hate to say sorry，and there is a change in my school arrangements．So I’m afraid I won’t able to keep my appointment to discuss Chinese paintings with you．I sincere apologize to you for any inconvenience causing by the unexpected change．Therefore I suggested we put it off from 3 pm this weekend until the same time in next Thursday．Will that be fine for you? Good news is that a exhibition of Chinese paintings are to be held this weekend．Works by many nationwide famous painter will be included，among who Qi Baishi is most famous in China．A visit there will surely help you better understand Chinese paintings．

Looking forward to your earliest reply．

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。

When police found Barely，19 years old，living in a tent，instead of a dormitory in Gordon State University，they were prepared to drive him away．

Then they heard his story．Barely 1. (plan)to walk to college 2. he couldn’t afford a bus ticket，but it would be too 3. (tire)．So he rode six hours from his hometown on his little brother’s bike，4. (carry)all his possessions—a bag，a tent，two bottles of water 5. a box of food—in order to start his second year 6. a biology major．He arrived early to look for a job，but no luck．7. (touch)by his story，Officer Richard and his partner put Barely up at a motel with their own money．Word spread and soon people donated clothes；school supplies and money 8. (cover)the rest of his motel stay—he was even given a job．And then there was Casey，who started a GoFundMe page for Barely after spending time with him．“This kid，though weak in 9. (appear)，rode a bike for 6 hours in the hot weather．I thought that he is determined．”She wrote on her Facebook page．The fund reached $1 84，000，all of  10. went into an education trust for Barely．

    Grady threw down his backpack and slammed the car door shut．

“This is going to be a really ____ week，”he said unhappily to no one ____ ．He looked around the campground．Hundreds of tall and green fir trees，some as tall as church towers，__ the mountainside，giving it the appearance of a green carpet．The sun would be setting soon．Then，Grady thought，maybe the ____ wouldn’t be unbearable，But actually even up here in the ____ ，the hot stickiness of July was closely attached to him．

Grady hated camping，but it was something his family ____ every summer．His father liked cooking over an open fire，telling stories about how to ____ things like bear attacks and swarms of bees．His mother and younger brother Jared 1iked to hike and take ____ of animals．Jared had a collection of bug pictures that he’d ____ to the walls in his half of their room．Grady thought they were just scary and proof that Jared was a ____ kid．

They set up camp—two ____ ，one for his parents and one for himself and Jared．While everyone else started ____ dinner，Grady，looking for some place to cool down，set off for the nearby stream，which was deep enough to ____ in．

As he ____ the stream，something caught his eye．There was a(an) ____ black bear cub—no more than two feet tall with a lovely face．It was playing pretty ____ at the water’s edge， ____ its surroundings．Grady moved closer to get a ____ look．Then Grady heard a sound behind him．He ____ his father saying that bear cubs would never be  __   ．Then he turned around and saw the cub’s mother moving swiftly towards him…

1.A. risky B. 1engthy C. peaceful D. interesting

2.A. in particular B. in advance C. in brief D. in silence

3.A. blocked B. reflected C. scarred D. covered

4.A. dust B. campground C. heat D. sun

5.A. river B. sky C. tower D. mountain

6.A. believed in B. stuck to C. came cross D. lived through

7.A. survive B. experience C. explore D. recognize

8.A. care B. control C. examples D. pictures

9.A. guided B. pinned C. taken D. thrown

10.A. sensitive B. smart C. strange D. tough

11.A. beds B. rooms C. tents D. plates

12.A. altering B. hunting C. ordering D. preparing

13.A. dig B. swim C. hide D. sink

14.A. crossed B. imagined C. neared D. 1eft

15.A. adorable B. aggressive C. injured D. 1arge

16.A. cautiously B. joyfully C. forcefully D. nervously

17.A. attacking B. destroying C. hating D. ignoring

18.A. better B. brighter C. fixed D. 1asting

19.A. found B. 1earned C. remembered D. misunderstood

20.A. alone B. awake C. smart D. scared

    Researchers define self-control or self-discipline as“ability to control or change one’s inner responses”．1. However，some people think that as an immediate consequence of leading lives of constant self-control，they aren’t likely to gain a lot of pleasure from life．

2. To start，414 adults completed on online survey．In the survey，they rated the their self-control by indicating how much they agreed with 14 statements，such as“I indeed do certain things that are bad for me，if they are fun．”

In their study，205 adults were given smart phones and required to report their emotions at random moments throughout the week． 3. If so，they had to report how hard they tried to resist them，and whether they eventually ended up acting on them．

The researchers found that the more self-control people had，the more satisfied they were with their lives in the long run． 4.  In fact，such people’s increased happiness to a large extent accounted for the increased life satisfaction．

These researchers also figured out that people high in self-control are simply less likely to find themselves in situations where that’s even an issue．They don’t waste time fighting inner battles over whether or not to eat a second piece of cake．5. And that，it would seem，makes them happier……even if occasionally a little bit sad．

A．In a word，they are not bothered about such little desires．

B．Researchers checked these general ideas through a survey and study．

C．It is generally believed that in the long run self-control can make people happier．

D．Meanwhile，they were also asked to report whether they were experiencing any desires．

E．However，people with more self-control were also more likely to be happy in the short run．

F．But they are still uncertain why some people are more able to control their inner responses．

G．Most adults reported they failed to control their desire to play video games before an exam．

    The thing that sets children apart from adults is not their ignorance，nor their lack of skills．Rather，it's their enormous capability for joy．A friend told me a story．One day，when she went to get his 6-year-old son from soccer practice，her kid greeted her with a sad face．The teacher had criticized him for not focusing on his soccer drills．The little boy walked out of the schoo1 with his head and shoulders hanging down．He seemed wrapped in sadness．But before reaching the car door，he suddenly stopped，crouching(蹲伏)down to look at something on the sidewalk．“Mom，come here! This is the strangest bug I’ve ever seen．It has ，1ike， a million legs．It’s amazing!”The little face was overflowing with indescribable excitement．

Nowadays，however，when we walk into a classroom，especially in a high school，we’ll be choked by towering books and papers，and hiding behind them are a group of motionless creatures，pens in hand，minds dry，just as the hollow men portrayed by T．S．Eliot．Their pursuit of joy has given way to their hunger for grades．Laughter and happiness are a distant memory for them．

Although joy is an unaffordable luxury in today’s increasingly fierce competition，administrators and teachers need a mindset shift from crushing students with assignments to getting them to take pleasure in productive activities which develop their important qualities，like perseverance and obligation．The assumption that pleasure is the enemy of competence and responsibility makes no sense educationally．

Adults tend to talk about learning as if it were medicine：unpleasant，but necessary and good for you．Why not think of learning as if it were food—something so valuable to humans that they want to experience it as a pleasure?

1.How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?

A. By describing a procedure． B. By analyzing the process．

C. By giving an example． D. By collecting data．

2.What does the author intend to do in Paragraph 2?

A. Summarize the previous paragraph． B. Provide some advice for the readers．

C. Introduce the main topic for discussion． D. Clarify some puzzling questions．

3.What does the text suggest administrators and teachers do?

A. Stop giving students homework．

B. Involve students in meaningful activities．

C. Supply students with luxuries．

D. Arouse students’fond memories．

4.What is the text mainly about?

A. Joy is the spokesperson for learning． B. Pleasure is the enemy of progress．

C. Education is the paradise for parents． D. Exams are a never-ending war．

    British Writer John Donne once said：“No man is an island；every book is a world.”As an enthusiastic reader，I can’t agree with the latter part of the sentence more．Every summer．I endeavor to find some peaceful places where I can attack some classics without being disturbed．Thomas Hardy wants to live far from the madding crowd．I am no friend to chaos，either．

I read George Orwell’s 1984 in a New England beachside cottage with no locks on the doors，no telephones or televisions in the rooms．1984 is a good book that needs deep reflection．Attempting Sound and Fury lying on the bed of a poorly-occupied motel，however， was less fruitful：I made it through one and a quarter volumes，but then my eyelids were so heavy that I couldn’t keep them open．

But this summer I find myself at a loss．I’m not quite interested in J．D．Salinger，say，or Frankenstein．There’s always War and Peace．which I’ve covered some distance several times，only to get bogged down in the“War”part，set it aside for a while，and realize that I have to start over from the beginning again，having forgotten everyone’s name and social rank．How appealing to simply fall back on a favorite—once more into The Call of the Wild or Alice in the Wonderland，which feels almost like cheating，too exciting and too much fun to belong to serious literature．

And then there’s John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath．This title do not amaze but  confuse. We’re never short of sour grapes，but we’ve never heard of angry grapes．Anyway grapes are my favorite fruit of summer．These stone fruits can always make me feel cheerful and peaceful all at once．

1.What can we infer from Paragraph 2?

A. The author has a cottage in New England．

B. 1984 is a book that needs deep reflection．

C. Both of the reading attempts were not fruitful．

D. Sound and Fury was set in a poorly-occupied hotel．

2.Why does the author say reading his favorite books feels like cheating?

A. He finishes them quickly． B. He should read something serious．

C. He barely understands them． D. He gets amazed by their titles．

3.What can we say about the author?

A. Thomas Hardy is his friend． B. He likes serious literature．

C. He is quite forgetful． D. He is a literary-minded man．

4.What’s the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A. To share his reading experience．

B. To encourage readers to read books．

C. To introduce good books to readers．

D. To condemn the chaotic world we live in．