（浙江省）2022-2023学年九年级上学期英语期末专项复习：阅读理解（4小题）

Most of us killed the long hours at home during lockdown by cooking, watching TV or playing computer games. The more ambitious （有雄心的）tried their hand at learning a new language or taking up an instrument. However, Ashok Aliseril and his family took on the project of building a plane.

The 38-year-old engineer from Billericay and his wife Abhilasha Dubey, 35, had wanted to buy an aircraft, in which they and their two young daughters could sit. However, on the market, it was too small or too expensive. So their dream hadn't been realized.

Therefore, MrAliseril decided to build one, so he bought all the parts a plane might need online. He began building it in the garden in March 2020,with just the online videos for guidance(指导). Like all worthwhile hobbies, the project took over not just Mr Aliseril's free time but his free space. Once the plane began to take shape, it soon became far too large for the garden. The couple eventually had to hire a larger field, moving the plane in parts. Now, almost two years later, it is finished and ready for approval(许可). If it passes, he and his family will be able to take to the skies.

The plane is red and silver with enough room for the family. Mr Aliseril said that he had spent 1,500 hours on the project. Ms Dubey said her children could not wait to take a flight in the aircraft.

The family hopes to travel to Manchester to visit friends, cutting their journey time by three hours. It usually takes about four hours in the car. They also plan to fly to the Isle of Wight for family summer holidays. Mr Aliseril is a Manchester United fan and intends to use his self-made plane to attend more matches, avoiding traffic jams on the game day.

I've worked in the factories surrounding my hometown every summer since I graduated from high school, but making the transition between school and full-time blue-collar work during the break never gets any easier. For a student like me who considers any class before noon to be uncivilized, getting to a factory by 6 o'clock each morning is torture(折磨). My friends never seem to understand why I'm so relieved to be back at school or that my summer vacation has been anything but a vacation.

There're few people as self-confident as a college student who had never been out in the real world. People my age always seem to overestimate（过高估计） the value of their time and knowledge. In fact, all the classes did not prepare me for my battles with the machine I ran in the plant, which would jam whenever I absent-mindedly put in a part backward or upside down.

The most stressful thing about blue-collar life is knowing your job could disappear overnight. Issues like downsizing and overseas relocation had always seemed distant to me until my co-workers told me that the unit I was working in would shut down within six months and move to Mexico, where people would work for 60 cents an hour.

After working 12-hour shifts in a factory，the other opinions have become only too clear. When I'm back at the university, skipping classes and turning in lazy rewrites seems too irresponsible after seeing what I would be doing without school. All the advice and public-service announcements about the value of an education that used to sound stale now ring true.

These lessons I'm learning，however valuable, are always tinged with a sense of guilt（愧疚）. Many people pass their lives in the places I momently work，spending 30 years where I spend only two months at a time. "This job pays well, but it's hell on the body, " said one co-worker. "Study hard and keep reading，" she added.

My experiences in the factories have inspired me to make the most of my college years before I enter the real world for good.

Have you ever heard someone use the phrase "once in a blue moon"? People use this expression to describe something that they do not do very often. For example, someone might say that he tries to avoid eating sweets because they are unhealthy, but will eat chocolate "once in a blue moon". Or someone who does not usually like to go to the beach might say "I visit the shore once in a blue moon." While many people use this phrase, not everyone knows the meaning behind it.

The first thing to know is that the moon itself is never really blue. This is just an expression. In fact, the phrase "blue moon" has something to do with the shape of the moon, not the color.

As the moon travels around the earth, it appears to change shape. We associate certain names with certain shapes of the moon. For example, when we can see a small part of the moon, it is called a crescent moon (新月). A crescent is a shape that looks like the tip of a fingernail（指甲）. When we cannot see the moon at all, it is called a new moon. When we can see the whole moon, it is called a full moon. Usually, there is only one full moon every month. Sometimes, however, there will be two full moons in one month. When this happens, the second full moon is called a "blue moon".

Over the next 20 years, there will only be 15 blue moons. As you can see, a blue moon is a very rare event（稀罕事件）. This fact has led people to use the expression "once in a blue moon" to describe other very rare events in their lives.

Everyone has two personalities(性格)﹣one is shown to the world and the other is secret and real. You don't show your secret personality when you're awake because you can control(控制) yourself, but when you're asleep, your sleeping position shows the real you. And the important position that best shows your secret personality is when you go to sleep.

If you go to sleep on your back, you're a very open person. You usually believe people and you are easily influenced(影响) by new ideas. You don't like to make people unhappy, so you never show your real feelings. You're quite shy and you aren't very confident (自信的).

If you sleep on your stomach, you are a person who likes to keep secrets. You worry a lot and you're always easy to be sad. You never want to change your ideas, and you are pleased with your life. You usually live for today not for tomorrow.

If you sleep on curled up(蜷缩), you are probably a very nervous person. You have a low opinion of yourself and often don't want to be hurt, so you are very defensive(有戒心的). You're shy and you don't like meeting people. You like to be alone.

If you sleep on your side, you usually have a well﹣balanced(平衡的) personality. You know your strengths and weaknesses. You're usually careful. You have a confident personality. You sometimes feel worried, but you don't often get unhappy. You always say out what you think, even if it sometimes makes people angry.

Everyone likes having money to spend. In fact, most of us wish we had a lot more money than we already have. Today, I want to share three common money mistakes that teenagers make and suggest ways to avoid them.

One common mistake teenagers make is underestimating(低估) the real cost of purchases(购买品), especially on expensive items like mobile phones. Maybe you've saved up $2, 000, so you plan to buy a phone that costs exactly $2, 000. However, there are other costs to consider, like monthly service fees of $200 or more. Make sure you always do enough research before buying anything. This will help you avoid overspending.

A second common mistake teenagers make is failing to develop a savings plan. We usually spend everything we have. Many of us even daydream about how we're going to spend money that we don't even have yet. Start saving money today by making a written plan. Discover how much money you expect to get over a period of time and then keep part of it, perhaps ten percent, for savings first before spending anything. This will help you to save up for special purchases.

Finally, teenagers also make the mistake of impulse buying. We see something we like and buy it without thinking it through. This often happens when we're out shopping with friends for fun. To avoid impulse buying, just think of the things you are saving up to buy before going out shopping. While shopping, carry only a small amount of money with you.

If you want to make sure that you have the money you need when you really need it, try to avoid these money mistakes. In this way, you'll be able to keep more money in your pocket with much less effort than you think.

①Have you ever seen a car without a driver? It sounds crazy, but these computer-driven driverless cars will soon be filling roads near you. Companies like Google and Tesla have been designing and testing these cars, and the technology is there.

②So how? The cars have sensors (感应器) all around which can find other cars and objects in the road. Road signs are read by cameras, and satellite navigation systems (卫星导航系统) are used so the car knows how to get where you want to go. All you have to do is to type in the address! Finally, a central computer system takes in all the information that it receives from the sensors and cameras and works out when to speed up, stop and turn.

③Sound like your idea of heaven? Sitting back, looking out of the windows and even watching a film or reading a book while 'driving' would be possible with this new technology. You wouldn't have to worry about remembering directions to where you're going. In addition, computers would also drive more safely than people – they would obey the rules and have quicker reaction times when in dangerous situations.

④However, there are many drawbacks of driverless cars. Computers would have difficulties making ethical (道德的) decisions: if a child ran into the road, would the computer choose to hit the child or turn suddenly and potentially (可能地) kill the car's passengers? Moreover, I personally find driving fun – I'd miss never driving a car myself. There would also be many other decisions to be made – should children, or drunk people, be allowed in a driverless car by themselves? Or would there need to be a person with a driving license in the car at all times?

⑤I'm not certain I'd want a driverless car – but it's only a matter of time before they'll become more affordable and popular on our roads.

A hunter once lost his way in the forest while running after a deer. As hard as he tried, he could not find a way out of the forest, nor could he find any food to eat. He felt so hungry that he could eat an elephant in one go. Disappointed, he lost all hope. And that was exactly when he saw an apple tree. It was the best possible surprise anyone could have given him. He picked some apples to feed him for the rest of his search.

As he ate the first apple, he felt thankful for finding the tree. He thanked the forest. He could not believe his luck when he ate the first apple. but he was less thankful while eating the second one and even less thankful after eating the third apple…With each passing apple, his hunger didn't go away and he became less and less happy.   ▲  

Why? He had already taken for granted to find an apple tree in the middle of a forest. When he took the tenth apple in his hand, he was still very hungry, but he just did not feel like eating any more. Scientists call  it  the tenth apple effect.

The tenth apple did not lack taste and can help us end the man's hunger. The only thing lacking was his thankfulness for finding food in the middle of the forest.

I've loved my mother's desk since I was just tall enough to sit above the top of it. Mother sat writing letters. Standing by her chair, looking at the ink bottle, pens, and white paper, I decided that the act of writing must be a most wonderful thing in the world.

Years later, during her final illness, Mother kept different things for my sister and brother. "But the desk," she said again, "is for Elizabeth."

I never saw her angry, never saw her cry. I knew she loved me; she showed it inaction. But as a young girl, I wanted to have heart-to-heart talks between mother and daughter. They never happened. And a gulf opened between us. I was" too emotional(易动感情的)". But she lived" on the surface(表面)".

As years passed and I had my own family. I loved my mother and thanked her for our happy family. I wrote to her in careful words and asked her to let me know in any way she chose that she did forgive(原谅) me.

I posted the letter and waited for her answer. None came.

My hope turned to disappointment, then little interest and, finally, peace — it seemed that nothing happened. I couldn't be sure that the letter had even got to Mother. I only knew that I had written it, and I could stop trying to make her into someone she was not.

But the present of her desk told me, as she'd never been able to, that she was pleased that writing was my chosen work. I cleaned the desk carefully and found some papers inside — a photo of my father and a one-page letter, folded and refolded many times. It was my letter.

"In any way you choose, Mother, you always chose the act that speaks louder than words."

①Does a lake on fire soundimpossible？If you think that water can't burn，you need to learn more about pollution.

②Let's go and see Bellandur Lake inthe city of Bengaluru in India. Bengaluru is the center for many heavyindustries. Electrical and electronic goods，computer parts andparts for planes and space rockets are produced there. Much of the waste fromthese and a large amount of the wastewater from local people run into the lake.

③These harmful mixed things have ledthe lake to become covered with a thick white foam （泡沫） that looks like snow when seen from far away. When the level of thewater rises，the foam does too and covers nearby areas，even roads. When a fire breaks out on the lake，it is both frightening and dangerous. People who live or work nearthe lake also get seriously ill because of the pollution.

④The fire has drawn a great deal ofattention recently，but burning lakes are nothing new.Pollution mainly happens in developing countries like India today. In the past，it mainly took place in Europe and America. Cuyahoga River，a river in America，had caught fire at least13 times. The fire that caused the most attention was in 1969 when oil-coveredareas on the river were set on fire by sparks from a passing train. The firereached a height of over five floors and burned for about half an hour. By thattime，people in America were more aware of its dangersand wanted to change.

⑤As a result，the Environmental Protection Agency （EPA） was founded in 1970 and the Clean Water Act （1972）was put into use. This Act required allrivers throughout America be clean enough to safely allow swimmers and fish topass through by 1983.Due to these efforts，the CuyahogaRiver has never had another fire and over 60 different species of fish live inthe river.

⑥If history is a guide，will it be possible for people in India to bring an end to thepollution by changing the laws in their country，too？Like many nations，it's necessary to raiseawareness of environmental protection among the general public. All of us mustact!

While the mobile Internet is changing the way we live, more and more old people in China are getting in on the digital world, although they will have some trouble.

Yang Su is among them. He is both a pianist of Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra （交响乐团）, a 61-year-old professional vlogger （视频博主）. With more than 2. 3 million followers on China's famous short video app "Douyin", his videos have been watched by over 1 million times.

"Three years ago, my son put a short video of me playing the piano at home on ‘Douyin', and hours later it was played over 1 million times, " Yang remembered.

However, it's not easy for him to learn how to film a video. He needs to play through the music since he doesn't know how to edit （编辑） and cut clips. His child helps him a lot later. "The Internet has opened the door to a new world, " Yang said. "I always keep myself busy and feel very young at my age. "

Do other old people get used to the digital world like Yang? Ding Qiulin is a 73-year-old man from Hunan. "I got my smartphone more than one year ago, but I only use WeChat for video calls, " he said. Ding finds it hard to learn to use other apps.

▲    Luo Xu, a post-90s volunteer, joined a non-profit organization in Beijing nine years ago to teach old people how to use the Internet. "While I am helping people aged between 50 and 90 years old, I have a strong feeling of pleasure, " Luo said.