浙江省温州市2023-2024学年九年级上学期开学考试

One day, 60 people were listening to a speech（演讲）. The 1  was talking about happiness. 2 , after a few hours, people started to lose their attention（注意力）. The speaker came up with an idea. He 3  his speech and asked all of the people to take part in a group activity. 

He gave each person a balloon（气球）in the room and asked them to write his or her 4  on the balloon with a pen. Then his assistant（助手） 5  all of the balloons and moved them to another room. 

When all 60 people walked into the room, the speaker told them to 6  the balloon that had their own name written on it. Everyone ran around, crazily 7  their own balloon. Many people even fell over. What a mess! 

But after about five 8  of searching, 9  could find their own balloon. 10  seeing this, the speaker asked each person to collect a balloon and try to find the person whose name was written on it. Everyone started talking to each other and asking each other 11  their name. In just a few minutes, everyone had his or her own balloon. 

"Can you see what happened?" the speaker said. "The balloons are like the 12 we look for in our own lives. Everyone is 13 looking for their own happiness, not caring what happens to others. But sometimes the best 14 to find happiness is to help others. Help 15 find happiness and you can find your own."

Have you ever found that lots of kids love watching TV or playing video games? Is this good for them? 

Too much time in front of screens (屏幕) has made a difference to young children. They may develop important skills more slowly.

Researchers from the University of Calgary and the University of Waterloo in Canada studied about 2400 children. Their mothers reported how much time they spent looking at screens at ages 2, 3 and 5. The study showed children aged 2 had about 17 hours of screen time every week, 3-year-olds had 25 hours, and 5-year-olds had 11 hours.

According to the study, the reason for the decrease (降低) in screen time for 5-year-olds might be that children start school at around this age.

The mothers were also asked to answer questions about their children's development, such as how well they could do different tasks, or how well they could understand and answer questions. The study found that children who spent more time in front of screens when they were 2 years old were less probably to do well on developmental tests when they were 3 years old. And more screen time when children were 3 years old caused worse results when they were 5.

Dr Sheri Madigan explained that between the ages of 2 and 5, children's brains develop very quickly, and that what happens during this time can have long effects (影响).

Children may move less while they are watching screens, and may not talk with whoever is looking after them as much. They are not practicing and developing those important skills.

Sixteen is the age in the United States when teenagers can begin driving. It's a special age. There's often a special celebration for a girl's 16th birthday— a big party called her "sweet 16". It is like a wedding reception.

About a month before the party, the girl's family sends out invitations to the guests. They must buy a special present for the birthday girl and the girl guests find good dresses to wear. A "sweet 16" present usually costs $40 to $60. This is about $20 more than the usual cost of a birthday present.

The party itself is not held at someone's house. The hostess rent a reception hall for the event. Food cake and a DJ are provided. Around 6 o'clock, guests arrive and greet the birthday girl. Then the girl and her father have a special father-daughter dance. After that, guests dance for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Then there is the most important part of the "sweet 16" party, the candle-lighting ceremony. The "sweet 16" hostess stands behind 16 unit candles, and dedicates（献给）each candle to her friends, family, and anything that she feels is important to her. A lot of crying and hugging goes on at this time.

Afterwards, people sit and eat. Most guests begin leaving around 11 o'clock.

This school year. I have been to two "sweet 16". I am one of the youngest students in my grade. I'll have to wait another year before I can have my own special "sweet 16" party. I can't wait for it!

One night, the boss of a big company needed to call one of his workers. Because there was a serious problem with their main computer system. And the worker was the only person who could solve it.

He dialed the worker's home phone number and was greeted with a little girl's whisper. "Hello?" the boss asked, "Is your daddy at home?" "Yes," whispered a small voice. "May I talk with him?" the man asked. To the surprise of the boss. the small voice whispered, "No."

Wanting to talk with an adult, the boss asked, "Is your mommy there?" "Yes," came the answer. "May I talk with her?" Again, the small voice whispered, "No."

Knowing that it was impossible that a young child would be left home alone, the boss decided he would just leave a message to the person who should be there watching over the child. "Is there anyone besides you?" the boss asked the child. "Yes," whispered the child, "A policeman."

Wondering what a policeman would be doing at his worker's house, the boss asked, "May I speak with the policeman?"

"No, he's busy!" whispered the child. "Busy doing what?" asked the boss. "Talking to daddy and mommy and the fireman." came the whispered answer.

Growing more and more worried as he heard something like a helicopter through the phone, the boss asked, "What is the noise?" "A helicopter," answered the whispered voice. "What is going on there?" asked the boss, nowalarmed.

In a serious whispering voice, the child answered, "The search team has just landed the helicopter." Shocked, worried and more than just a little disappointed, the boss asked, "Why are they there?" Still whispering, the young voice replied along with an unclear giggling, "They are looking for me."

Tina Wang and her family live in the largest Chinese community in Canada. Her parents (搬家) here two years ago. She didn't like the new living (环境) until she met Mr James, a nice language teacher in her school. Mr James has been teaching for 20 years, and he was very (幽默的). He had many excellent students. Tina always asked herself, "Will I be one of the students who can make him (自豪的)?"

Tina liked his class. One day, Mr James asked the students to bring their favourite fruit and talked about it in English. Tina brought a durian. It (闻起来) awful. All her classmates stayed back and 6. (没有人) of them even wanted to listen. Tina was left red-faced. At that moment, Mr James said, "Don't worry, Tina. Tell me why you like durian."

"Because it tastes (甜的) and softer than any other fruits." Tina said slowly and (紧张地).

"It sounds delicious. I've never eaten durian before. Can I have a (尝试)?" Mr James looked interested.

"No problem!" Tina's face brightened with a big smile.

Many years have passed, but Tina can't help (想起) of that day when Mr James helped her out in the awkward situation.

A man was washed up on a small island because of a shipwreck（沉船）. Every day he checked to see if there was a passing-by ship. He hoped that someone could help him, no one seemed to come. "Although I (lose) everything, I haven't lost my life yet. I still have hopes and chances", he said to himself. So he tried to build little house out of the wood. It could protect him from dangerous (animal).

But then a sunny and hot day, after looking for food, he came back and found the little house on fire. The smoke was rising into the sky. Everything was lost at that moment. It was the (bad) thing he had ever met. He cried angrily and (sad). However, early the next morning, while he (repair) his tools, a ship arrived on the island. Yes, people had come to save him. " did you know I was here?" the man asked. "We saw your smoke signal（信号）," they replied. What a (surprise) change life brings! So never lose heart, no matter what kind of problems you meet and wherever you are.

注意： （1）短文必须包括所有要点，并适当发挥； 
（2）文中不得出现真实的人名和校名； 
（3）词数 80—100；标题已给出，不计入总词数。

Giving pandas a good life

What animal has 6 fingers and wears a black and white coat? Yes, it's the panda!