Have you ever shoveled (铲) snow after a snowstorm? Most people try to remove snow. But in February, in Sapporo, Japan, trucks actually bring snow into the city! People shovel the snow into large piles, and these piles of snow become outdoor cafes, concert stages, and beautiful sculptures (雕像).

Artists from all over the world come to Sapporo’s Snow Festival every year to enter the sculpture competition. But the sculptures aren’t made of stone, metal or wood – they are made of snow and ice! Artists sometimes work 11 to 12 hours a day to make amazing sculptures. Many of the sculptures are huge and very detailed. During the day, the sculptures shine in the winter sun. At night, colorful lights shine on them. Millions of people go to see them every year.

The Snow Festival had not always been so popular. It started in 1950 as something very small. People in Sapporo wanted to go outside and have fun during the long, boring winter, so the city held a one-day fair in a park. People listened to music and danced. They watched movies and dog races. But some high school students had a great idea and built six large interesting snow sculptures. People really liked the sculptures, and the Snow Festival was born.

Five years later, soldiers nearby brought tons of snow into the city. They made the snow into large blocks and used ladders to build huge sculptures. These sculptures were amazing, and the small festival turned into an international event.

More than 60 years have passed. Today, the festival is seven days long. Every year, millions of people wear their warmest coats and go outside to celebrate the snow!

1.Artists go to Sapporo every winter mainly to ______.

A. listen to music and dance

B. watch movies and dog races

C. have a one-day fair in a park

D. enter the sculpture competition

2.In 1950, some ______ built six large interesting snow sculptures.

A. artists B. high school students

C. soldiers D. movie stars

3.What is the passage mainly about?

A. Winter activity.

B. Sapporo, Japan.

C. The Snow Festival.

D. Outdoor sculptures.

“Text Neck is not just a texting problem,” said Dr. Dean Fishman. “Text Neck is a gaming problem. Text Neck is an e-mailing problem.”

Fishman made up the term “Text Neck” in 2008 while examining a 17-year-old patient. The teen came in complaining of neck pain. Fishman noticed that the teen was sitting in a chair, bending (弯曲) over her smartphone, texting away. “I knew I had something,” Fishman said.

A recent study published in Surgical Technology International’s 25th edition says texting may be hurting your back. The study found that bending your head to look at your mobile phone held in your hands can put up to 60 pounds of pressure (压力) on your neck. The average human head weighs 10 pounds in a right position – when your ears are over your shoulders. For every inch you bend your head forward, the pressure on your back doubles.

Staying in the “forward head posture” can lead to many problems. Over time, it can even change the natural curve (曲线) of your neck.

Dr. Michelle Collie, director of Performance Physical Therapy in Rhode Island, recently says Text Neck has increased very quickly, especially among her younger patients. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 8- to 18-year-olds spend almost seven and a half hours using mobile device or desktop computer for fun every day.

So what’s a smartphone-texting, laptop-loving guy to do?

First, Collie said, is to pay attention to your body. Keep your feet flat on the floor, roll your shoulders back and keep your ears directly over them so your head isn’t bent forward. And use something to support the weight of a mobile device.

Fishman’s Text Neck Institute created a mobile app to help you remember to avoid forward head posture. When your phone is held at a safe point, a green light shines. When you’re at risk for Text Neck, a red light appears.

Most important is taking breaks from time to time while using any mobile device or desktop computer. About every 20 minutes, stand up, roll your shoulders and neck or go for a short walk to have a break.

1.What might Fishman mean by saying “I knew I had something”?

A. He had the same smartphone as the patient.

B. He got a new name for the patient’s pain.

C. He wanted to play a joke on the patient.

D. He had the same idea with the patient.

2.According to the passage, your head is in the right position when ______.

A. you bend over your neck often

B. your ears are over your shoulders

C. you turn your neck to the other side

D. you put up more pressure on your neck

3.The last three paragraphs are mainly talking about ______.

A. how to make Text Neck apps

B. what causes Text Neck

C. how to avoid Text Neck

D. the results of Text Neck

Language in crisis

Today, almost 80% of the people in the world speak only 1% of its languages. Every 14 days a language dies. By 2100, half of the more than 7,000 languages spoken on Earth today may disappear.

Why do languages die?

Throughout history, the languages of dominant (统治的) groups have spread while the languages of native cultures have become extinct. This happens because of government language policies, or because the dominant language becomes more useful in everyday life.

Why is language important?

Studying different languages increases our understanding of how humans communicate. Language is also an important part of culture. Words that describe a particular cultural practice might not have meaning in another language.

Native groups often have a deep understanding of local plants and animals because they have lived close to nature for thousands of years. We could discover important things, such as treatments for illness, by studying these languages. Many endangered (濒临灭绝的) languages aren’t written down. When the last speakers of a language die and their language becomes extinct, their stories, songs, and other important information are lost, too.

Which languages are disappearing?

Central South America has some of the world’s most endangered languages. The Kallawaya people speak a secret language that has details of thousands of medicinal plants. Today, fewer than 100 people speak it.

In Central and Eastern Siberia, almost all of the native languages are endangered. Many Siberian languages now have only a few elderly speakers.

Oklahoma has the highest number of native languages in the United States. One of these, Yuchi, may be unrelated to any other language in the world. However, during the early 20th century, government schools punished students who were heard speaking it. In 2010, only five elderly members of the Yuchi tribe could speak their native language.

How are languages being saved?

Native cultures around the world are using modern technology to help keep their endangered languages and cultures alive. Communities are creating dictionaries and libraries by using pictures, video, and audio to record the traditions of the last speakers of their language. If the younger generations don’t speak and understand the words and stories of their ancestors (祖先), the language will die. And when the language dies, part of the culture dies, too.

1.The underlined word “extinct” probably means ______.

A. selling out B. dying out C. speaking out D. putting out

2.How are the native languages in Central Siberia and Oklahoma similar?

A. Both of them are secret languages.

B. Fewer people can speak them today.

C. They are both unrelated to other languages.

D. They are both spoken mainly by young people.

3.To save a language, it is most important for______ to learn it.

A. young people B. parents

C. scientists D. dominant groups

4.What does the writer want to tell us in the passage?

A. It’s necessary to study more languages.

B. It’s good for people to speak the same language.

C. Preventing the loss of the world’s languages is important.

D. Protecting languages is more important than protecting culture.

阅读短文，根据短文内容回答问题。

Football

Ancient Chinese, Roman and Egyptian writings help you know about games played by kicking a ball. We also know that in the twelfth century, in some English towns, on certain days of the year, hundreds of young men would kick a ball around the streets. Unluckily, fight often resulted. People were hurt and even killed. In 1314, such games were not allowed because they were too dangerous.

The game we now know as football developed in England in the early nineteenth century. Football was played in many schools and clubs as early as 1823. These schools and clubs often had different rules, but in 1863, the Football Association or FA was created, and standard rules were agreed for everyone to follow. These are the rules that many parts of the world use for football today. In 1871, a cup was given for the best English club, called the FA Cup. Football soon spread across the world.

In the United States and Canada, however, a different type of football game developed, where the football players could pick the ball up and carry it. The ball is also in a different shape. In American football there is also more violent contact (激烈交锋) between players, who have to wear special clothing to protect themselves.

Football is now certainly the most popular game on earth. Why is that? One reason may be that it’s a simple game. All we need is a ball, and a few things to mark the goals. It’s a more relaxed game which can be enjoyed by just a few people of any age, on any piece of ground or even in the street. Another reason may be that it allows people to show their special skills. Some footballers become very rich and famous, like David Beckham. For this reason, many young people dream of becoming football stars and getting very rich. Television too has made football more popular. Millions of people can watch international matches such as the World Cup, which is held every four years.

1.What helps you know about games played by kicking a ball?

2.Where did the football game develop in the early 19th century?

3.When were the football standard rules made for everyone to follow?

4.Why do American football players have to wear special clothing?

5.Why is football now the most popular game on earth?

假如你是李华，即将结束在美国的交换学习，回国前你想给住家妈妈Sarah写封感谢信，告诉她你什么时候回国，为什么感谢她，以及你的感受。

提示词语： help, care, communicate, drive to hospital, own family

提示要点：When are you going to leave?

Why do you want to say ‘thank you’ to her?

How do you feel?
Dear Sarah,
 

I’m writing to deliver my thanks to you.

Thanks again for taking care of me so well.

Yours,

Li Hua

某英文网站正在开展以“我最喜欢的中华传统节日”为主题的征文活动。假如你是李华，请你用英语写一篇短文投稿，谈谈你最喜欢的传统节日是什么，节日里你通常都做什么，以及你为什么喜欢这个节日。

提示词语：festival, get together, enjoy, moon cakes, harvest time

提示问题：

● What’s your favorite traditional festival?

● What do you usually do during the festival?

● Why do you like it?

There are many traditional festivals in China. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are many traditional festivals in China. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

三年来，你的学校一定组织过很多有意义的外出参观活动，让你和同学们开阔了眼界，体验了快乐，增进了友谊。《英语学习报》现正举办 My School Trip 征文活动，请你根据下面的提示问题，向大家介绍一次你所参加的外出参观活动，说一说大家去了哪，做了什么，以及你的感受。

提示词语：learn from, fantastic, experience, enjoy, exciting

提示问题：

Where did you go on the school trip?

What did you do on the trip?

How did you feel about the trip?

My School Trip

现今，我们的很多学校都在开展 Pad 教学实验。你的英文笔友 Peter 想了解你的 Pad 课堂学习 情况，请根据以下提示，以初中生李华的身份给他写一封邮件，告诉他，你利用 Pad 在课堂上学习 什么内容，如何学习，以及你的感受。

提示词语：I-pad, technology, fast, convenient, share, upload, download, personal

提示问题：

What do you learn at class by I-pad？

How do you use it for your study?

What do you think of this kind of class?

Dear Peter,

How is it going? I’m glad to hear from you.

Yours, Li Hua

（题文）假如你是中学生李华，由于某种原因不能上下周一的外教课。 请你给外教Peter用英语写一张请假条，告诉他下周一你要去哪里，去做什么，以及你将如何补上落下的这节课。

提示词语: Children’s Palace, a speech competition, ask …for help, notes

提示问题：● Where will you go next Monday morning?

● What will you do there?

● How will you make up the missed lesson?

Dear Peter,

I’m sorry I can’t attend your class next Monday morning. __________________________

Li Hua

Dear Peter,

I’m sorry I can’t attend your class next Monday morning. __________________________

Li Hua

人工智能的迅速崛起无疑是新世纪以来最为重要的科技事件,而我们的生活也将因为人工智能的成熟应用迎来巨大改变，变得更为智慧与便利。

某英文网站正在开展以“人工智能与人类生活”为主题的征文活动。假如你是李华，请用英语写一篇短文投稿，谈谈你与人工智能。主要内容包括：在生活中你使用哪些人工智能产品，你对人工智能的看法，以及你将如何跟上人工智能发展的时代。

提示词语: AI（人工智能）, a smart phone, helpful, convenient, study hard

提示问题：● What kind of AI do you use in your life?

● What do you think of AI?

● How will you keep up with the development of AI?

We have come to the time when AI really affects our life. ____________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We have come to the time when AI really affects our life. ____________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________