It was late last night, but Kevin could not sleep. His bed was inside a camping tent, and just outside the tent were the fields of Africa, filled with wild animals. His parents slept soundly in another bed across from him. He wondered how they could be so clam. What if a lion came into their tent? He was very frightened. It took a long time before Kevin finally fell asleep.

When the son came up, he felt his mother’s hand on his head. “Morning, Kevin!” she said, “time to wake up and go on the safari.” Before they left America, his parents had explained to him that a safari was a long drive through nature, usually in Africa. During a safari you can see lions and zebras living free, instead of cooped up(限制) in a zoo.

“What if we get close to a lion?” Kevin asked.

“Oh, daring,” she said “nothing will happen to us if we listen to our guide.”

Kevin got dressed slowly, listened to the bird singing outside and began to feel less afraid. After a brief breakfast, he got into a jeep with his parents. The driver, Jim, a kind –looking man, was also their guide.

The jeep took off a dirt road. After a little while Kevin and his parents waited in the tall grass while Jim walked ahead of them and looked around. After a minute Jim raised his hands in the air. “Shhh,” he said in a low voice. “It’s nothing dangerous but don’t speak loudly.” Kevin and his parents walked up to where Jim stood, and soon Kevin saw a beautiful golden creature with dark brown spots(斑點(diǎn)) and a very ,very long neck–a giraffe.

“Wow,” said Kevin, He could not believe how close he was to the giraffe. All his fears disappeared and he began to get excited about the day to come.

1.Kevin couldn’t sleep that night because_____.

A. a lion came into his tent

B. he was frightened

C. his parents slept soundly

D. the tent was comfortable

2.According to Kevin’s parents, during a safari, they can ___

A. drive through African cities

B. fly over African fields

C. give food to lions and zebras

D. see wild animals living free

3.What made Kevin surprised?

A. Waiting in the tall grass

B. Listening to birds singing

C. Getting so close to a giraffe

D. Driving a jeep with his parents

As kids, we learn how to write, maybe play a musical instrument and draw. So why don’t we learn to code(編碼) computer programs too? What coding has in common with writing, playing music and creating art is that it lets you bring your ideas to life. Coding is all about creativity and that’s why I love it.

Creating with code

CoderDojo helps young people around the world to learn computer programming for free. When I went to my first CoderDojo class in Dublin City University in Ireland, at age nine, I didn’t know anything about coding or even what it was. But I remember making my very first web page that first day, and being surprised that I could create such a thing. It was a great feeling that I think every young person should experience!

By going to CoderDojo every week, I learned how to make websites, apps and games. One of my apps is called Auto-Journalist. It can help journalists(記者) and interviewees do interviews even if they are both really busy or live in different time zones. It is still in development, and I have showed it at an event called Coolest Projects Awards, where young people get to show the public what they have created with code. It’s so much fun to share one’s creations, and to see what everyone else has made too.

Learning environment

For the past three years I have also been helping to teach other young people at CoderDojo DCU. In recent years I have also noticed many more girls attending CoderDojo DCU to try out coding. This has a lot to do with the CoderDojo girls’ classes—girls and young women take part in it with their friends, and it doesn’t feel like coding is a “boy thing”. It is really wonderful to see this, because we need more girls and women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). It’s a good way to learn more about technology.

Start early

One of the main things I have learned in the last few years is that coding is not only for adults, coding is for young people, too. And when you are a child it is a great time to start coding, because your imagination is the limit for what you can create!

Want to learn more? Find out if there is a CoderDojo near you at www.coderdojo.com or set one up yourself! Also check out Code.org which has lots of fun drag-and-drop coding games.

1. In the writer’s first coding class, she ▁▁.

A. made apps and games B. created a web page

C. wrote for newspapers D. did some interviews

2. Why do more girls begin to learn coding?

A. There are coding classes for girls.

B. Girls want to learn a “boy thing”.

C. There are more girls in STEM.

D. Girls can meet cool boys there.

3.What does the writer think of coding?

A. It is better than playing music.

B. It limits children’s imagination.

C. It stops people from learning fast.

D.It helps children with their creativity.

4.What is probably the best title for this passage?

A. Start Coding as Early as Possible

B. Come for Fun in CoderDojo Class

C. Kids Should Have Chances to Learn to Code

D. STEM Is Calling for More Girls and Women

Success by failure

I had failed again. It was the day of the big marathon. I had decided three years ago to train for the half-marathon event and take home a medal. There I sat, in front of my TV, while I watched others cross the finish line. It was just another in a long string(串) of failures. I had never met a single weight loss or fitness goal and I was majoring in the art of failing.

We are a family of exploration and often plan active vacations. It seemed that on every vacation I was the one who couldn’t go the distance. Each time I urged(催促) my family, “Go on without me. Bring me lots of pictures and videos. I’ll be fine just sitting here taking in the view.” I lied. Sick of being left behind, I decided that it would never happen again. Sure I was in my 50s, but surely there was still hope for me. I always spent weeks walking to prepare for our active vacations. I had lost weight many times. I just always seemed to fail to get where I needed to be.

But this time I would do something different. I was going to walk a half marathon. Surely I would lose weight and get in sharp if I could complete over 12 miles in four hours. Besides, this would be training. Training sounded cooler than diet and exercise. I was revved up and ready to go. I bought the proper gear(裝備)，checked out what type of drinks would be handed out at the marathon and prepared a lot. I had a plan！

Now two years later, there I sat, watching thousands of people of all ages succeed where I had failed. I walked out, angry with myself, sat down and had myself a pity party. I was a master at the art of pity parties, having a great deal of experience in holding them. What was my problem? Where was I going wrong? I stopped and considered each failure, one by one. I made some very interesting discoveries.

I had failed to climb to the top of that Mayan pyramid, but I did climb it and stood on those ancient stones. I had failed to meet a single weight loss goal and yet I had lost 43 pounds. I couldn’t walk 12 miles in four hours, but I could walk 12 miles.

All my failures were sounding like a success story. This time I was giving thanks. I was thankful that I had been given the spirit of failure because failure meant that I was trying, that I didn’t give up. I decided that I would be crossing the finish line next year.

1.What can you learn from the passage?

A. The writer didn’t lose any weight in the end.

B. The writer didn’t climb the Mayan pyramid.

C. The writer didn’t take part in the big marathon.

D. The writer didn’t have holidays with his family.

2.What does the underlined sentence “I was revved up.” Probably mean?

A. I got excited. B. I felt moved.

C. I was pushed. D. I was chosen.

3.Which words can best describe the writer in the passage?

A. Clever and friendly B. Interesting and proud

C. Humorous and hopeful. D. King and strong-willed.

4.The writer probably agrees that .

A. one should never give up half way

B. setting a goal is the key to success

C. one can learn by making and correcting mistakes

D. trying but failing to reach the goal is still meaningful

閱讀短文，根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的五個(gè)選項(xiàng)中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。每個(gè)選項(xiàng)只能用一次。

Our trip to the Mining Museum

On Tuesday 4th April, we took a bus to travel to the Mining (礦業(yè)) Museum because we had learning about the Gold Rushes.

__1.___. We went past some famous places such as Sydney Harbor and the Open House along the way. We also chatted to our friends about what we had seen on TV last night.

When we arrived at the Mining Museum, we were taken to a room where we stored our bags. Our guide, Alison, then introduced us to a man named Bruce Binkley who is a miner.

Mr. Binkley talked to us about how people used to look for gold. __2.__ . It seemed simple. You get a pan, fill it with dirt and water and then swirl (旋動(dòng)) it around until the big stones are washed out along with other things. Gold, being heavier, is left at the bottom.

Next, we walked upstairs to look at pictures, information and samples (樣品) of gold. We filled in a worksheet about the early discoveries of gold in Australia. ___3._. That part was really exciting because you had to imagine that you were a miner digging for gold.

Lunch was spent in a nearby park. ___4.__. They were yummy! We also played hide-and-seek while we were there.

__5.___. We boarded the bus and felt very tired. Some children even slept on the bus!

It was an enjoyable trip to the Mining Museum.

閱讀短文，根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容回答問(wèn)題

It’s been a long journey. From DJ to producer to singer, Mark Ronson is now a pop star in his own right.

On Feb 15, his hit song Uptown Funk won Record of the Year, one of the most important prizes, at the 2016 Grammy Awards.

While the world has gone crazy for the song, Ronson, 40, went through six difficult months to produce it. In fact, the UK musician made 17 versions (版本) of Uptown Funk.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Ronson told the UK newspaper that he worked so hard that his hair started to fall out. At one point, the stress of trying to come up with a suitable guitar part even caused him to faint (暈倒) in a restaurant.

The difficulties didn’t stop here. Ronson also didn’t have enough confidence in his singing, as he had been a producer for a long time. “I work with great singers,” he told the New York Post, “so I’ve always heard what really good voices sound like.”

Still, things worked out great in the end.

His family plays an important part in his success. His stepfather guitarist Mick Jones was one of the first members of the rock band Foreigner and sometimes Jones would share ideas with Ronson.

“After school, Jones would play me the most recent mix of songs in the studio and ask what I thought, and I would tell him in my little English schoolboy voice, ‘ I remember the bass (貝司) was turned up a little more on the mix from last week’”, Ronson told The Guardian, “ I was kind of meant to live in the studio.”

All these influences led to his success. Ronson taught himself how to DJ when he was 16. “ I practiced by copying my favorite DJs on the radio,” he told US radio station NPR. “ I would like listen to them and try and copy in my best way what they were doing.”

With the goal of being a cool DJ, Ronson dropped out of New York University and played in clubs in downtown New York, where popular artists often visited.

“If you do a good job, there’s the chance they might remember who you are,” he told NPR.

And doing a good job is how Ronson get into show business.

“Never underestimate (低估) Ronson,” UK DJ Zane Lowe told Esquire magazine, “ he is fully prepared for opportunities.”

1.Is Mark Ronson a pop star now?

2.What did he win on Feb 15, 2016?

3.How did he teach himself to be a DJ?

4.Where did he play after dropping out of university?

5.What made him successful?

文段表達(dá)

從下面兩個(gè)題目中任選一題，根據(jù)中文和英文提示，完成一篇不少于50詞的文段寫作。文中已給出內(nèi)容不計(jì)入總詞數(shù)。所給提示詞語(yǔ)僅供選用。請(qǐng)不要寫出你的校名和姓名。

題目1

假如你是初三（1）班的李華。你們班將要組織一次春游活動(dòng)，打算邀請(qǐng)你們的外教Mr.Smith參加。請(qǐng)你給他寫一封郵件，告訴他春游的時(shí)間和地點(diǎn)，活動(dòng)內(nèi)容，以及該做的準(zhǔn)備。

提示詞語(yǔ)： picnic, food, climb, clothes

? 提示問(wèn)題：When and where are you going?

? What are you going to do?

? What is the necessary preparation?

Dear Mr. Smith,

I’m very happy to invite you to our field trip.

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

Looking forward to seeing you,

Yours,

Li Hua

隨著科學(xué)技術(shù)的發(fā)展，互聯(lián)網(wǎng)已經(jīng)走進(jìn)了我們的生活。某英文報(bào)正在開展主題為“互聯(lián)網(wǎng)對(duì)中學(xué)生學(xué)習(xí)和生活的影響”的征文活動(dòng)，請(qǐng)你投稿，談?wù)勀銥槭裁词褂没ヂ?lián)網(wǎng)，常用它做什么，以及對(duì)中學(xué)生使用網(wǎng)絡(luò)的建議。

提示詞語(yǔ)： convenient, helpful, download, search

提示問(wèn)題：Why do you use the Internet?

What do you usually do on the Internet?

What’s your advice for the students to use the Internet?

mothers both work in the same factory.

A．Tony and Peter’s B．Tony’s and Peter

C．Tony’s and Peter’s D．Tony and Peter

She is unusual writer who comes from European country.

A．a(chǎn)n；an B．a(chǎn)n；a C．a(chǎn)；a D．a(chǎn)；a

— Who taught English?

— Nobody. We taught .

A．your；yourselves B．you；ourselves

C．your；ourselves D．you；yourselves