1．    It's time to go back to high school.Students are excited about the new beginning.But for many kids，the first day is more about friends than classes，and maybe with good reason.On that day，the teacher takes attendance（考勤），hands out books，and describes the teaching plan.If a student hears the same things in seven classes，you can't blame（責(zé)備） them for thinking it's going to be another long year.When the high schoolers' parents ask what they did in school，it's pretty likely that the answer will be"Nothing."
    It doesn't have to be this way.Kids always want exciting changes，and you can give them a taste of how appealing your course will be.One English teacher asks students to write 77 words about what they want to get out of her class.Then she reads their responses out aloud.She keeps the responses until the last day of the school year.Finally she hands them back to students so that they can see if they achieved what they wanted.After encouraging kids with a year-long game，she begins the English course.
    On the first day of science，a teacher gives students 30 minutes to build something to improve people's lives.A history teacher organizes a debate on whether Swiss cheese is better than cheddar.In math class，another teacher puts students in groups of three，and gives them six minutes to come up with as many answers as possible to the question， "What is math good for？"
    The new class activities are part of our school wide movement to improve the first day of classes.Many teachers choose to use creative ways to encourage kids from day one.And all students seem to enjoy the changes.Quite a few parents told me that their kids said， "I think English （ or math or biology or Spanish） is going to be great!"

（1）Which best describes the class on the first day of school in Paragraph 1？
A.Too boring.
B.A bit strange.
C.Really wonderful.
D.Quite challenging.
（2）What does the underlined word"appealing"in Paragraph 2 probably mean？
A.Confusing.
B.Ordinary.
C.Attractive.
D.Unfamiliar.
（3）What will the students find out in English class at the end of the school year？
A.If their writing skills have improved.
B.If their expectations have been realized.
C.If they can understand the 77 words.
D.If the teacher likes their responses.
（4）What do the teachers in Paragraph 3 have in common？
A.All try to organize different debates.
B.All ask students to work in groups.
C.All hold discussions on teaching plans.
D.All choose to do something exciting.

2．    In my early 30s，I struggled to find a dream job.One of my friends reminded me that I'd always loved beauty，and suggested I apply for a licence，which would give me the freedom to set up my own business.
    However，the only problem was that tuition fees were ＄6，000，which was out of my budget.I knew that my salary wouldn't cover all the fees，even if I worked extra hours every day.I'd seen others set up crowd funding papers to help them achieve their goals.I thought I'd do the same.Then，on a Friday night，I received a large amount of money in my bank account，which made me really surprised.There had been some mistakes.I assumed it was an illegal trick.
    It turned out to be a donation.The name on it is one I instantly recognized：Chrissy Teigen，my favorite TV host.She had left a note： "I've seen that this has been your dream for such a long time.I'm so happy to lend you a hand." I called my mom immediately.I was crying and not making much sense.I just managed to say that Chrissy Telgen had made my dream come true.
    The amount might have been a drop in the ocean for her，but it was life-changing for me.Lots of other people donated after her.Soon I paid all the fees for the course.I couldn't have been happier.I've now set up my own business，and I always think about Chrissy's generosity.I did thank her，and I still follow each other on Twitter.Hopefully，I will be able to give her a beauty treatment someday.
（1）Why couldn't the author set up her own business？ （no more than 10 words）

（2）What was the author's first reaction to the donation in her bank account？ （no more than15 words）.

（3）Who donated the money to the author？ （no more than 5 words）

（4）How do you understand the underlined part "a drop in the ocean"？ （no more than 5 words）

（5）What kind of person do you think Chrissy Teigen is？And why？ （no more than 20 words）

3．    My father really dislikes my stepfather，Mike，and is always calling him names，saying what a "good-for-nothing" guy he is.Mike knows about his name-calling because sometimes when my father comes to pick me up，he'll say inconsiderate things right in front of my stepfather like， "Is what's-his-name going to pick you up after the game，or am I supposed to bring you home？"
    Even though it's rude，my stepfather doesn't hold it against my father. "I'll pick up Shawn at 3：30，" he'll answer. Nor does Mike make a big deal out of my father's inconsiderate attitude towards him. He lets the comments go.
    I ask my stepfather if the way my father treats him bothers or upsets him. "Oh，not really，" he says. "You don't always have to be right，as long as you do what's right." My father's taunts（嘲笑） don't bother Mike because he likes himself.My dad's opinion doesn't change the way Mike feels about himself.
    I really admire Mike.He's so good to my mother.And what a good father he is to me!I appreciate all the things he does for me，like teaching me to throw a fastball and helping me with my homework without becoming impatient like my father does.Mike even volunteered at my school's carnival（狂歡節(jié)） this year.No other stepfathers were there.
    Though I would never tell my real father that I think my stepfather is one of the nicest guys I know，he is.I'm happy to make Mike my stepfather.Sometimes，I even call Mike "Dad" because he acts like a dad to me.In my eyes，my stepfather is a really great guy.

（1）Why is the writer's father rude to Mike？
A.Mike is hated by him.
B.Mike is a good-for-nothing.
C.Mike treats his ex-wife badly.
D.Mike likes to call him names.
（2）What does the underlined sentence mean in Paragraph 2？
A.Mike never deals with the problems that he faces.
B.Mike never runs a business with the writer's father.
C.Mike doesn't express his anger on the writer's father.
D.Mike ignores what the writer's father says and does.
（3）What can be known from Paragraph 4？
A.The writer is a poor boy and has several stepfathers.
B.The writer's real father doesn't like sports as much as Mike.
C.Mike is as good to the writer's mother as the writer's real father.
D.Mike is more patient with the writer than the writer's real father.
（4）Which can best describe the writer's attitude to his real father？
A.Rude but patient.
B.Admiring and respectful.
C.Caring but disapproving.
D.Disgusted and unconcerned.