I now work 40 hours a week at a weather company and I love it. Compared to when I became a mom, I don’t feel bad about being away from my three kids. When I had my first child, I was a busy manager of a local news station. My husband had a part-time job and cared for her the rest of the time. I was determined to find a way to be home more. Once I became pregnant with my second kid, I quit my job to focus fully on writing.

At first I felt like I was living the dream. I was a work-from-home mom who never had to be away from my children. But working from home can end up being more stressful than working full-time or being a stay-at-home mom, because you’re frequently worn out between work, keeping house, and telling sweet faces you don’t have time to play. Ever tried writing an article with a baby screaming? It was awful.

I was so stressed that I eventually started taking my kids to a day care center a couple of days a week. The whole reason I worked so hard to be able to write for a living was to be at home with my kids and here I was taking them to a day care center. I thought I was a failure then.

Over the past five years of being a freelancer (自由作家)，I’ve realized a couple of for me, working from home isn’t “living the dream.” As I wrote six months ago, “I thought I felt bad leaving my daughter for ten hours a day but now she is old enough to ask me to read her a story. Try telling your kid no, 20 times a day. is cruel. You end up feeling worse for having to ignore them than you would if you were gone at a job all day.” I also realize not having anywhere to be and not socializing with people weren't good for my mental well-being.

Not only that, but I can now show my kids that Mom is important and has a job at a flashy office building, something they didn’t realize when I sat around in yoga pants typing on my computer all day long.

21. The underlined part “the dream” in Paragraph 2 refers to “        ”

A. working from home                             B. earning a lot of money

C. not suffering from stress                           D. not taking care of her kids

22. While working as a freelancer , the author        .

A. made a great many friends                        B. was not good at telling stories

C. left her daughter for a long time                D. felt terrible for ignoring her kids

23. We can infer that now the author’s kids         .

A. are much prouder of their mom               B. realize why their mom is important

C. are feeling sad for leaving their mom       D. understand why their mom works so hard

Many Chinese people have awakened their interest in classical Chinese poetry recently thanks to a popular TV show that aims to “appreciate classical Chinese poetry, explore cultural genes and enjoy the beauty of life” by combining traditional literary form with light-hearted TV quizzes.

The ten-episode “Chinese Poetry Competition”，since its broadcast^ has been praised for injecting vitality (活力) into TV programs with fantastic performances of contestants，impressive comments from judges as well as its innovative interactive mode. In the show, poems can be adapted into songs or depicted (描绘) through artistic pictures. Any contestant who can memorize the latest number of poems may not necessarily be the final winner, while fast reaction and usage of poems matter a lot more in the competition.

Wu Yishu, a 16-year-old student from the High School Attached to Fudan University in Shanghai, is the champion of this season. Her rich knowledge of classical poetry impressed everyone and she rose to become famous online. In an earlier episode, Wu wowed the audience when performing in a section. She amazingly recited lines from the Classic of Poetry（《诗经》），the earliest collection of poems in China.

“Learning poems isn't about winning or losing. The power of poetry lies in shaping one’s view of life and developing one’s inner world.” said Li Bo, an expert guest at the Chinese Poetry Competition's second season.

When it comes to teaching people about poetry, Li Dingguang, the show’s academic advisor, suggested that teachers should explain more about the beauty of the poetry from both the aesthetic (审美的) and emotional sides, and guide students to lose themselves in the poems，rhythmic and rhyming (押韵的) lines.

“Although the proportion (比例) of ancient Chinese poems in the textbooks of primary and secondary schools has increased, many students still learn them for exams.” Li Dingguang said, “Therefore, it’s important to help students truly appreciate the artistry and fun of poetry.”

24. The TV show has been produced to            .

A. appreciate classical Chinese poetry and cherish our traditional culture.

B. shape people's view of life and develop their inner world

C. help students learn poems for exams

D. explore cultural genes and enjoy classical Chinese poetry and life

25. What do we know about the TV show?

A. Only by memorizing as many poems as possible can a contestant win the quiz.

B. Poems can be adapted into any form of art in the show.

C. The TV show has aroused people's interest in classical Chinese poetry.

D. Fantastic performances of contestants matter most.

26. Which of the following may Li Dingguang agree with?

A. The beauty of the poetry should be explained more from the aesthetic and emotional sides.

B. Students should memorize the poems’ rhythmic and rhyming lines.

C. The main duty of teachers is to help students truly appreciate the artistry and fun of poetry.

D. There will be more and more ancient Chinese poems in the textbooks of primary and secondary schools.

27. The underlined word “wowed” in the third paragraph probably means        .

A. excited             B. impressed        C. puzzled            D. inspired

Family get-together are a great way for family members to understand the lives each other and strengthen family bonds. For younger family members, get-togethers can reinforce(加强)family traditions and can be learning experiences that help them to grow and mature. Traditional Family get-togethers can include a meal and an activity such as going to see a movie. However, there are other ideas that can help make get-togethers memorable and provide moments that enrich the lives of family members.

One way to make a family get-together memorable is to give it an environmentally friendly theme. A garden can be planted, for example. Include vegetables that can be eaten and future get-togethers. A tree could be planted and called the family tree. The family get-together could also be planned for a specific place such as a community nature center. The family could participate in an environmental project such as a neighborhood clean-up, or cleaning streams or roadsides.

Be active

Family get-togethers can have physical activity as a main focus of the fun. Families can gather at a beach and go swimming. Building sand castles also requires exertion. Other beach activities can include kite flying and searching for shells. A family get-together can also be planned for a park that has a nature trail. A picnic meal can provide food, and everyone can take a hike for exercise. A family get-together can also have a sports theme when planned for a location that has a basketball court, tennis court or some other sporting venue. For places with snow, families can go sledding or skiing together.

Museum or historic Site

A family get-together can also be an educational gathering. For example, a get-together planned at a museum can provide entertainment as well as educational value. Family members can talk and catch up with one another while touring the museum. Contact the local chamber of commerce( 商会) to find historical sites, which can provide memorable scenery to a family get-together.

28. The main purpose of the passage is       .

A. to give us some advice on how to plan a family get-together

B. to introduce some ways of making family get-togethers unusual

C. to compare traditional family get-togethers with modern unusual

D. to tell us why and where we often need a family get-together

29. Which of the following is the best choice for the blank?

A. Be planned.    B. Family tree.

C. Go green.      D. Community nature center.

30. What does the underlined word “exertion” in Para.3 really mean?

A. Ability.    B. Effort.      C. Exercise.        D. Skill.

31. If you want to have fun and learn a lot, which one is your best choice?

A. A family planting a family tree.

B. A family gathering at a beach.

C. A family gathering of sports theme.

D. A family gathering at a museum.

32. According to the passage, which of the following is a way of traditional family get-together?

A. Seeing a film.      B. Planting a tree.

C. Having a picnic.    D. Visiting a historic site.

Lakeway Middle School Now Has Its Own School Store!

The Lion’s Den

Stop by the Lion’s Den before or after school or during lunch to check out the various goods available at our new school store. Here you can find school supplies, gym uniforms and gifts. Choir(合唱团) students manage the store and are ready to serve you. Money raised from sales will help purchase new music, costumes, and sound equipment for the choir.

Everything you need for school is available at the Lion’s Den. Come in today to see for yourself!

Used Book Donations

Donations of used books are welcome and rewarded. Drop off your used book donations in the store. For every five books donated, receive a Lions Reward Coin good for 25 cents off your next purchase at the Lion’s Den.

Save and Win

Bring the following coupons(优惠券) in when you visit the Lion’s Den. You can save 20% off your first purchase, receive a free pen or pencil, and enter your name and grade in a drawing to win a T-shirt. Scan the QR code, and you can get more discount information.

33. The Lion’s Den raises money to ________.

   A. buy books                                B. help school choir

   C. support the poor                               D. build a new school

34. If you donate five used books, you can get ________.

   A. a Lions Reward Coin                B. 20% off

   C. more discount information                D. a free pencil or pen

35. Your personal information is needed to ________.

   A. get the membership                 B. join the school choir

   C. win a T-shirt                              D. scan the QR code

A Canine Reading Buddy

Dogs and people have developed a special bond over time. Recently, however, some dogs have taken a different role in people’s lives—therapy dogs.

   36    Some therapy dogs visit patients in hospitals or nursing homes, while others visit children in schools and libraries. They are there to help children become better readers.

Reading programs that use therapy dogs have been in existence for more than ten years. All therapy dogs of this program are registered with an organization that tests the dogs to make sure they have the right personality for the job.   37   Both the dogs and the handlers are volunteers with the reading program.

At the start of a reading therapy session, a child and a dog are introduced. The pair is allowed to settle down in a quiet corner together.    38    An adult handler stays nearby but generally lets the dog perform its job without interfering(干涉). Sometimes, a handler may ask a question that encourages the child to work with the dog to help the child feel more comfortable.

Not every child will be able to be part of a reading therapy program that uses dogs. A few children might be allergic to dogs or afraid of them; some children might have cultural traditions that prevent them from touching a dog.    39  

Reading therapy programs inspire learning and change.    40    They spend time with human friends. For dogs that love human companionshiop and a quiet place to rest, being part of a reading therapy program can be a great way to spend a few hours each day. The readers benefit too, gaining confidence and learning that reading aloud can be a relaxing experience.

A. How do the therapy dogs benefit from it?

B. But therapy animals also serve in many other areas.

C. As the child reads, the dog usually lies quietly and listens.

D. When reading to an animal, some children may become relaxed.

E. In these circumstances, other animals are available, such as cats and parrots.

F. A therapy dog is more of a companion and is trained to help people in different ways.

G. A dog’s handler also takes a class and must pass a test to work in the therapy program.