山东省临沂市兰陵县2021年中考英语一模试卷

—Me, too. ________, he is only 8 years old.

—Certainly. Here you are.

—Yes, I can.

—Hard to say. If it ________ tomorrow, we'll have to put it off.

It seems that everyone has seen plants growing, but have you ever thought where they get their food? In the seventeenth century, a European scientist Van Helmot asked this question. Like most people, he thought that plants must get their food from soil (土壤). However, Van Helmot decided the theory (理论) with experiments.

First, he dried some soil, put it  a pot and weighed it. Next, he weighed a small tree, planted it in the pot and added rain water. Then, he watered  regularly (定期地) with rain water.

After five years, he removed the tree from the pot and weighted it again. He found that the tree had got weight. When he weighed the soil, however, it was almost exactly the same as it had been five years earlier. So Van Helmot drew the conclusion (结论) that the tree grew by drinking water. Although it turned out to be , he showed the importance of the use of scientific evidence (证据) to support ideas.

We now know  plants and trees make their own food. Their leaves, when exposed(暴露) to the air and sun, are like factories that can change the energy from the sun into chemical energy. During this process (过程), oxygen (氧气) and sugar . The oxygen is released (释放) back into the air, and the sugar is used by the plant as food.

    Many countries are fighting against food waste. What are they doing to stop it?

China has been spread a nationwide activity called “Clear Your Plate” since 2013. This year, some restaurants are encouraging people to order food using the formula (公式) “N–1”. “N” stands for the number of diners at a table. If there are 6 people at your table, you only order 5 dishes.

In 2016, France passed a law that stops the stores from throwing away unsold food. If it's still safe to eat, the food must be given to charity (慈善机构); if not, it goes to farmers for use as animal feed.

In 2019, the US said it encourages food companies to use the phrase “best if used by” for date labeling (标签). This helps shoppers better understand that they don't need to throw food out after the printed date passes if the food is stored correctly.

In Japan, there are many food banks. People and the stores can offer the rest of food to them and they will provide the food to those in need.

In 2016，South Korea started to ask people to pay for throwing away food. There are scales (称) on rubbish bins that are used to weigh the food. One ton of food waste costs 1.5 million won (8,700 yuan).

I'm very thankful to the cat and it always makes me think of the time I was with him.

Five years ago, when my father was dying, I travelled a thousand miles from home to be with him in his last days. I felt very sad and it was one of the most difficult and painful times in my life. After he passed away, I stayed alone in his flat（公寓）. There were so many things to deal with. I was lonely and I hated the silence of the flat.

But one evening the silence was broken: I heard crying outside. I opened the door to find a little cat on the steps. He was thin and poor. He looked the way I felt. I brought him inside and gave him a can of fish. He ate it and then almost immediately fell asleep.

The next morning I checked with neighbors and learned that the cat had been left by his owner. His owner had moved out, so the little cat was there all alone, just like I was. As I walked back to the flat, I tried to work out what to do with him. Having something else to take care of seemed like the very last thing I needed. But as soon as I opened the flat door, he ran to me and jumped into my arms. It was clear from that moment that he didn't want to go anywhere. I started calling him Willis in order to remember my father's best friend.

From then on, things grew easier. With Willis in my lap（膝头）, time seemed to pass much faster.When the time finally came for me to return home, I had to decide what to do about Willis. There was absolutely (绝对地) no way I would leave without him.

It's been five years since my father died. Over the years, several people have said how nice it was of me to rescue（解救）the cat. But I know that we rescued each other. I may have given him a home but he gave me something greater.

    Are you sometimes a little tired and sleepy in the early afternoon? Many people feel this way after lunch. I have a habit of taking a nap (小睡) after lunch. Without a nap at noon, I will feel uncomfortable the whole afternoon. Then I can work better in the afternoon.

At noon—about six to eight hours after you wake up—your body temperature goes down. So it is best for you to take a nap after lunch for about an hour.

In many parts of the world, people take naps in the middle of the day, especially in hot weather, where the heat makes work difficult in the early afternoon.  A daily nap gives one a more relaxing body and mind in the early afternoon, and is good for health. In many countries where naps are traditional, people are seldom ill such as heart diseases.

Many working people have no time to take naps though doctors may advise taking naps in the early afternoon. Here are a few tips about your nap: 

Remember that the best time to take a nap is about eight hours after you get up. A short sleep too late in the day may only make you feel more tired and sleepy later.  If you don't have enough time, try a short nap after lunch—half an hour of nap can also be helpful.

Twenty years ago, recycling was something you only did if you were really interested in being “green”. Today, recycling is a normal activity for families all around the UK. Local governments  (make) it easier for families to recycle by collecting materials from their houses. They even give them two different bins, so families  (separate) their recycling from their rubbish.

Recently, some local governments (decide) to do even more. They are putting computer chips (芯片) inside the rubbish bins. Then they'll give the rubbish bins to families in their area. The chips  (use) to give information about the kind of materials in the bin: paper, glass, metal, etc. In other words, if these materials are thrown away instead of being recycled, the government finds out. And when this  (happen), they write a letter to the family asking them  (be) much more careful about recycling.

The governments say their main aim is education. “If you often have problems  (put) the wrong things in your bins, we will simply provide guidance (指导) and possibly come out to visit you,” they say. But many people think that putting computer chips in bins is like having bin police, and they are not happy about it!

For years I wanted a flower garden. I'd spend hours thinking of different things I could plant that would look nice together.

But then we had Matthew, and Marvin, and the twins, Alisa, and Alan, and then Helen. Five children. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.

Money was tight(拮据的), as well as time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I'd have to say, “Do you see a money tree in the yard? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know.”

Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about having a garden.

Then, one spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I looked out of the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping willow(垂柳), because I saw things blowing around on all its branches. Then I put my glasses on—and I couldn't believe what I saw. There was a money tree in my yard!

I went to have a look. It was true! There were dollar bills (钞票), one hundred of them, taped (捆绑) all over that tree. There was also a note among them, “Thank you for your time, Mom. We love you.” Later, my children bought me tools and gardening books.

That was three years ago. My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted. When I go out and take care of my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they're right there with me.

I live in a city where winters are long and cold, and summers are too short. But every year now, when winter sets in, I look out of my window and think of the flowers I'll see next spring in my little garden. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes—every time.

I'm still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does!

要求：

①短文必须包括你所选择话题的所有要点，并适当拓展；

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Dear Liu Wei,

Yours,

Li Ming