“SPELL CHAMPION, ”Scott told his older sister.

“C-h-a-m-p-i-o-n.”

Unsure about it, Scott still cheered, “You’ll ______ the spelling bee!”

Lucy thanked, happy but ______ , wondering if her dog, Senator, who she got for her 11^th birthday and never away from her for a week, would be looked after well.

“We’ll keep him perfectly, ” said Scott, dreaming of getting his own pet if he could ______ himself.

The loudspeaker in the railway station announced the upcoming departure(出发). Dad wished Lucy good luck, “If you make the ______ , we’ll come to see you.”

“See you in a w-e-a-k.”

“W-e-e-k, ”Lucy ______ Scott and said, “Bye!”

Each morning Scott woke up early to feed Senator, leaving a note to ______ Dad, after that Scott continued to sleep. Scott even gave Senator a timely bath, during which he hoped Dad could notice how responsible(负责任的) he was with unwilling Senator.

Halfway Lucy ______ back to tell her failure in the second round(轮次) and asked, “How’s Senator doing？”

“Excellent!” Scott bragged.

But when Lucy returned, she found it ______ “He only started feeling sick this morning.”Scott felt ______ but confused(困惑的), for he’d been a strict direction-follower.

They came to the veterinarian’s(动物诊所). After the examination, Lucy was angry, “A terrible ______ ! How could Senator have such a rapid two pounds in weight?”

Dad said, “I only fed him two scoops of dog food every morning.”

Scott ______ , “Dad! You fed him again? Didn’t you read my note? It says I’ve fed him!”

It took Lucy a moment to understand before asking Scott how to spell fed.

“F-e-e-d? Scott! Fed is spelled f-e-d. But your note says f-e-e-d, telling Dad to feed the dog!”

“So Senator was fed twice?” Dad asked, “But why did he ______ seem hungry?”

“All’s fish that comes to his net!” Lucy looked down at Senator who was wagging his tail. “Let’s see how you like eating Doggie Diet for a month!”

Senator’s tail drooped.

Scott said sorry, “I just wanted to be responsible so I could get a dog for my next ______ .”

“It’s OK. I’ll teach you how to spell to ______ myself for next year’s spelling bee.” Lucy handed Scott the red leash to walk Senator.

“You have a few months to practise before you get one for your birthday.” Dad added.

Scott burst into laughter and reached down to pet Senator ______ .

“Having a little brother isn’t so bad, ” Lucy told Senator, “if you show him who’s b-o-s-s!”

We are what we eat. From high-calorie meals to low-fat lunches, much of our health depends on what we eat. We know about the benefits(益处) of eating fittingly for our physical health, but food, and cooking it, is proving to be good for our mental(心理的) health as well.

Some people are now supporting the therapeutic value of cooking food. It’s not just about the end result but also the experience someone goes through. Dr Mark Salter, a consultant psychiatrist, told the BBC: “Baking and cooking are good therapies. They help patients develop planning skills, short-term memories and social skills—lack(缺乏) of which may lead to mental illness.”

TV chef(大厨) and author Nadiya Hussain agrees that cooking is great for helping our mind. She loves to bake and became the champion of the TV show, The Great British Bake Off. She says that “Baking’s always been about therapy... It’s never really been about the cake.” And she thinks that baking is an important tool for our socialization and mental health.

Certainly, creating some delicious food takes our mind off things and gives us something to do, helping us get through the recent lockdown. People have said that mixing dough(生面团) to make bread, for example, has given them a sense of calm and control. Research has shown that doing creative tasks, like cooking, makes us feel happier. Nicole Farmer, who studies how food influences our biology, behavior and mental health, told BBC online that “Cooking represents the human experience of food, and growing people through food, so there is no doubt it can bring us timely positive feelings.”

Of course, cooking can be a very sociable activity and sharing the end result, a rewarding experience. Hopefully, as we start to mix with friends and family again, we can enjoy the benefits once more and put us all in the right state of mind.

In December 2020, “the Super Apple” appeared at supermarkets across China, sweeter and juicier than usual ones, without pesticide residue(农药残留). Before reaching the market, the products had been tested over 500 times. Blockchain(区块链) technology in recording farmers’ actions is widely used to avoid nonstandard pesticide use. Digital technology at the apple storage helps to group apples, which can keep the stability(稳定性)   in the quality. “The future of agriculture lies in the modern technology.” Huang Jikun, Professor of the China Centre for Agricultural Policy at Peking University, told Beijing Review.

At China’s Central Rural Work Conference in 2020, President Xi stressed that efforts must be made to increase the quality of agriculture. Xi also pointed out the importance of speeding up technologies.

China’s agriculture has entered a stage of high-quality development, as the country is meeting people’s increasing need for high standard products. So agriculture should turn to technology.

Three years ago, Yuan Longping led a program of planting rice in saline－alkali(盐碱) soil in areas, including Xinjiang and Heilongjiang. Through hybrid technology, Yuan’s team have been able to raise improved rice for saline and alkaline soils. If China could put 6.67 million hectares of saline－alkali soil into rice production, it would be very likely to increase by around 30 million tons, a huge contribution to the country.

In Lushui, Yunnan Province, one can rarely see farmers working on the farm. All common tasks are completed automatically(自动化地). Data(数据)   is gathered by the system to improve future production.

“More information and technology centres will be built so that basic data and big data can be improved, and technologies like 5G and the BeiDou Satellite Navigation System can be used in the field.”said Han Fujun, Deputy Chief Engineer of the Information Center of MARA.

Since 2010, the Chinese government has been organizing technology exchanges, training, field trips and other activities for the agricultural technology talents to better understand the situations of each area.

Because of the COVID-19, companies begin to rethink better agricultural models,   as more people want to eat healthier foods. Science and technology will play a more important role in the future.

   “Have you finished your lesson, George?” said Mr. Prentice to his son, who had laid aside his book and was busy making a large paper kite.

“No, father, ”replied George, hanging down his head.

“Why not, my son?”

“Because it is so difficult, father. I am sure that I shall never learn it. Besides, I could not remember it after I had learned it, my memory is so bad.”

“If I were to promise you a holiday on the thirtieth of the month after next, do you think you would forget the date?”

“No, I am pretty sure that I should not.”

“You are first－rate at skating, and flying a kite, and playing at ball and marbles, are you not?”

“Yes, father.”

“And yet you cannot learn your lesson! My dear boy, you are deceiving(欺骗) yourself. You can learn as well as anyone, if you will only try.”

“But have I not tried, father?” again urged George.

“Well, try again. Come, for this afternoon lay aside that kite you are making, and give another effort to get your lesson ready. Be in earnest, and you will soon learn it. To show you that it only requires perseverance,_I will tell you a story：—

“One of the dullest boys at a village school, more than thirty years ago, went up to repeat his lesson one morning; and, as usual, did not know it. ‘Go to your seat!’ ”said the teacher angrily.

“If you don’t pay more attention to your lessons, you will never be fit for anything.”

“The poor boy stole off to his seat, and bent his eyes again upon his lesson.”

“It is of no use; I cannot learn.” he said in a whisper to a companion who sat near him.

“You must try hard, ”replied the kind-hearted boy.

“I have tried, but it is of no use; I may just as well give up at once.”

“Try again, Henry!” Whispered his companion, in an earnest and encouraging tone.

“These two little words gave him a fresh impulse, and he bent his mind again to his task.”

Gradually he began to find the sentences lingering in his memory; and soon, to his surprise and pleasure, the whole lesson was mastered!

“From that day, ” continued Mr. Prentice, “there was no boy in the school who learned more rapidly than Henry. From that day till the present hour he has been a student; and he now urges his son George to ‘try again’ as he tried. ”

“And was it indeed you, father?” asked his son, eagerly looking up into the face of his kind parent.

“Yes, my child.  That dull boy was your own father in his early years.”

“Then I will try again.” said George, in a decided tone; and, flinging aside his half-made kite, he turned and re-entered the house, and was soon bending in earnest attention over his lesson.

“Well, what success, George?” asked Mr. Prentice, as the family gathered around the tea-table.

“I learned the lesson, father!” replied the boy, “I can say every word of it.”

“Did you find it hard work?”

“Not so very hard, after I had once made up my mind that I would learn it. Indeed I never stopped to think, as I usually do, but went right on until I had mastered every sentence.”

“May you never forget this lesson, my son!” said Mr. Prentice, “You now get the secret of success. It lies in never stopping to think about a task being difficult or tiresome, but in going steadily on, with a fixed determination to succeed.”

The Chinese life is colorful with many interesting folk ways. The Lantern Festival is on the 15th day of the first lunar month, it has a Chinese name Yuanxiao Festival. Yuanxiao comes from the f
66． that people call the first lunar month the Yuan Month and night Xiao. The night of the 15th day of the first lunar month m
67． the beginning of the first full moon. On the Lantern Festival, the Chinese people have the custom of e
68． lanterns and eating glutinous rice dumplings. There is a common saying that “Playing on the Lantern Festival.”

The custom started during the Han Dynasty, and has a h
69． of more than 2000 years. On that night, every place is decorated with lanterns and streamers(饰带) and there is a bustling atmosphere. As night f
70．, people go in crowds to the sea of colorful lanterns: palace lanterns, wall lamps, figure lanterns, flower lanterns, revolving horse lanterns, animal lanterns, and toy lanterns, of all types and c
71．. Some lanterns have riddles(谜语) on them, which encourage people to try to be the f
72． to find the answer.

It is a
73． a traditional custom to eat glutinous rice dumplings at this time. As early as the Song Dynasty, there was such a kind of food, a round ball m
74． of glutinous rice flour with a filling of sugar and kernels(果仁). Since it is eaten on the Lantern Festival, people call it yuanxiao. The Chinese people hope that e
75． is satisfactory (yuanman in Chinese), and to eat glutinous rice dumplings on the first night with a full moon in a year is to wish that family members will remain united, harmonious, happy and satisfied.

Protecting the Habitats of Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees are not only social animals living in communities and work together, but they are smart in many different ways. For over 40 years, people have been studying chimps both in the wild and in captivity. One thing they have learned is that chimpanzees and their natural habitats — or where they live in the wild — need to be protected.

In 1960, a researcher named Jane Goodall began to live with and study wild chimpanzees in Africa. She learned that they are highly intelligent animals that communicate with gestures and physical contact. They make tools to find food, they possess  innate decision— making skills, and they make choices about which groups to join and what foods to eat. Chimps cooperate to hunt and often share the food they have caught. In captivity, where they live in zoos and science centres, they can be taught  American Sign Language so that they can communicate with their hands. There have even been experiments which show that a few chimpanzees have learned to use computers and to play games! Some scientists argue that chimpanzees can show emotions  such as happiness or sadness.

Although chimpanzees are impressive and intelligent animals, their safety is in danger every day. In the wild they can be found in 21 different African countries, living in forests. Chimpanzees are able to adapt(适应) to changes in their environment.   They can move to a new place, make new nests, and find new foods. Yet people are destroying their natural habitats. By cutting down trees for firewood and using the space to build houses, humans leave chimpanzees with smaller areas to live in.

Chimpanzees are in danger, and all eyes should be on them. Fortunately many organizations and researchers have started to take steps to protect them.Everyone should be aware of their work and it is important to help these amazing animals.

艺术陶冶情操, 涵养生命。你喜欢的艺术形式是什么, 有过怎样的经历, 又有怎样的感受呢?请在下列图示中任选一种或自选一种其他艺术形式, 用英语写一篇短文。

注意：1. 词数90左右, 短文开头已给出, 不计入总词数。2. 表达中请勿提及真实校名及姓名。

Art plays an important role in our life. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________