1 . “The mountains are calling and I must go” — the famous quote is from John Muir(1838-1914), who is described as “the wilderness poet” and “the citizen of the universe.” He once jokingly referred to himself as a “poet-geologist-botanist and ornithologist (鸟类学家)-naturalist etc. etc.!” He is known as the Father of American National Parks.
Famed documentary filmmaker Ken Burns recently said, “As we got to know him… he was among the highest individuals in America; I’m talking about the level of Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Thomas Jefferson— people who have had a transformational effect on who we are.”
So where is the quote from? Well, John Muir was a productive writer. Whether he was writing poetry or simply letters to his family, John Muir was always putting pen to paper. The quote is from within one of his many letters written to his sister:
September 3rd, 1873 Yosemite Valley Dear sister Sarah,I have just returned from the longest and hardest trip I have ever made in the mountains, having been gone over five weeks. I am weary, but resting fast; sleepy, but sleeping deep and fast; hungry, but eating much. For two weeks I explored the glaciers of the summits east of here, sleeping among the snowy mountains without blankets and with little to eat on account of its being so inaccessible. After my icy experiences, it seems strange to be down here in so warm and flowery a climate. I will soon be off again, determined to use all the season in carrying through my work—will go next to Kings River a hundred miles south, then to Lake Tahoe and surrounding mountains, and in winter work in Oakland with my pen. Though slow, someday I will have the results of my mountain studies in a form in which you all will be able to read and judge them. The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly (永不停息地). I will write again when I return from Kings River Canyon. Farewell, with love everlasting. Yours, John |
1. What can we learn from John Muir’s self-description in paragraph 1?
| A．He longed to expand his own career. |
| B．He enjoyed his involvement in nature. |
| C．He wanted to find his real advantage. |
| D．He valued his identity as a poet most. |
| A．Muir’s political influence. | B．A documentary film on Muir. |
| C．Muir’s historic significance. | D．The social circle around Muir. |
| A．Relieved but regretful. | B．Exhausted but content. |
| C．Excited but lonely. | D．Defeated but hopeful. |
| A．To go on with his mountain studies. |
| B．To seek freedom from social connection. |
| C．To attend an appointment in Oakland. |
| D．To experience the hardship of wilderness. |
2 . Born in Anhui Province, Tao Xingzhi (October18, 1891-July 25, 1946) was one of the greatest educationalists, social activists and patriots in modern China. When he was young, Tao lived in a poverty-stricken area and had witnessed miserable life of Chinese people, especially that of the peasants who accounted for 80% of the nation’s population, under the suppression of foreign invaders (外国侵略者的压迫) at that time.
After graduating from Nanjing University as the top student with the highest scores in all courses, Tao set out for the US to further his education. At first, he studied politics in University of Illinois but soon he found that politics offered no help for saving the country, and then he changed his major into education.
Six-year experience abroad let Tao Xingzhi come to realize the sharp contrast between China and developed countries, and drove him to make up his mind to change the situation in China. Tao declined a number of invitations from many famous universities and gave up high salaries as a college professor. Instead, he set up Xiaozhuang Normal School in the countryside of Nanjing to develop educational cause in rural areas. When he returned to China from Japan in 1939, Tao set up Yu Cai School in Sichuan Province for the kids who lost their family in Anti-Japanese War (抗日战争). He picked out those with special talents and trained them to be useful men for the nation. Zhou Enlai, former Chinese premier, once paid a visit to this school and gave a high praise.
As an educationalist, Tao devoted his entire life to the educational-cause for Chinese. Quite different from other major educationalists at that time, Tao carried out life education and said that “life education means an education of life, by life and for life”. Because of overtoil (积劳成疾), he died on July 25, 1946 in Shanghai. Chairman Mao praised him as “a great educationalist for the people”. In memory of this great man, Tao Xingzhi Museum was built in Shanghai in 1986.
1. The underlined phrase “accounted for” in the first paragraph has the same meaning of the phrase “______”.| A．depended on | B．took up | C．carried out | D．put off |
| A．Mr Tao returned from Japan to China |
| B．Mr Tao set up Yu Cai School in Sichuan Province |
| C．Mr Tao picked out some with special talents and trained them |
| D．Mr Tao established Xiaozhuang Normal School in Nanjing |
| A．Tao Xingzhi’s great contribution | B．Tao Xingzhi’s diseases |
| C．Tao Xingzhi’s daily life | D．Tao Xingzhi’s educational theories |
| A．a tourist website | B．an entertainment website |
| C．an educational website· | D．a scientific research website |
3 . Curiosity — the desire to know, to discover, to learn. Inspired by curiosity, humans are found everywhere on our planet, and beyond it in space. Yet according to human behaviourist and author of Curious, Ian Leslie, although we are all born curious, not all of us bring this into adulthood, and we can lose out as a result.
As Leslie explains, curiosity shapes us from the start. By trying new things, we build knowledge, and want to know more. “We are born aware that we don’t know stuff — we want to experience and discover.” However, the contrast between childhood and adulthood is clear. “We ask 40,000 questions a year between the ages of two and five,” says Leslie — around 110 each day; adults, in comparison, ask just 20.
As we get older, we may feel hesitant about asking questions, believing this reveals gaps in our knowledge. We can become scared to share unconventional ideas for fear of criticism or misunderstanding. We can also be a victim of our success, as Leslie explains. “Once you’ve worked out how to do your job, then you don’t feel curious anymore. The need to learn goes away — in a way, curiosity has done its job. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t cultivate it.”
Leslie’s tips for cultivating curiosity begin with spending time with the experts — children. “Talk to your kids, and try to answer those weird, difficult questions they have — like ‘What is air?’ This makes you think about things you’ve taken for granted — it reawakens your curiosity in what’s around us and how we perceive the world.”
So does finding what Leslie calls an ‘informal mentor’, through work or other circles, who is happy to share their expertise, from a skill, technology, to a field of learning. “Try to think of people the way children think of adults — as sources of secret knowledge, a great store of learning you can tap into,” says Leslie.
Leslie also suggests creating a ‘spark file’ — a digital or physical notebook in which you collect interesting thoughts. “Fill it with facts you’ve come across, sentences you like, insights that strike you. Let it be random. And let it build. Over time you’ll build up a rich source of inspiration, and you’ll think, ‘Oh that’s interesting, that relates to this…’ And suddenly your mind starts firing away with new ideas and ways of thinking.”
1. According to Leslie, what happens as we get older?| A．We gradually lose our natural curiosity. |
| B．We are less aware of our knowledge gaps. |
| C．We are unwilling to let others benefit from our ideas. |
| D．We may think asking questions makes people foolish. |
| A．A day’s planning is best done at daybreak. |
| B．In the eyes of a lover, Xi Shi will appear. |
| C．A master can lead you to the door, but the rest is up to you. |
| D．When three people walk together, one can surely be my teacher. |
| A．It is carefully organized. | B．It can help people connect ideas. |
| C．It only contains complete sentences. | D．It can help people improve their memory. |
| A．To prove Ian Leslie’s arguments. | B．To summarise Ian Leslie’s viewpoint. |
| C．To question Ian Leslie’s conclusions. | D．To introduce Ian Leslie’s achievements. |
4 . It was a warm evening in August in 1995. Robert Blocker was driving to Yale University after being appointed as the university’s Dean (院长) of Music. He didn’t expect to see many people, but a couple of students met him and showed him around.
“When I looked at the history of the university and how people are devoted to the school’s art programs, I was honored by the chance to work there. I could not wait for the next day to start my job. And that excitement never changed because every day was different. My job as dean was not scheduled. I walked around the campus and students talked to me. I went to rehearsals (排演) by the students and teachers and got inspired by them,” he adds.
After nearly three decades as the Dean of Music at Yale, the 77-year-old retired from the position on Aug 31. Also an expert pianist, he remains a professor of piano at the music school, as well as professor of leadership strategies at Yale School of Management. Among his countless contributions as dean, Blocker developed long-term relationships with fellow musicians in China. He once toured cities, including Shenzhen, Shanghai and Hangzhou, giving lectures to the youngsters.
“China is a very special place for me. I am very happy to be back after the pandemic (疫情) to meet my friends and colleagues,” Blocker says, adding that he is particularly excited about being with young students.
Yang Suxian, director of the Shenzhen Piano Music Festival, says, “He has been very supportive and has participated in the Shenzhen Piano Music Festival for years, even during the pandemic.”
Blocker’s vision of a more hopeful world is reflected in his belief that music bridges the understanding between people.
“Music brings hope. People may speak different languages and have different ideas but music speaks to each other’s heart, and that’s why we keep this work going on and why the work never ends,” he says, “Our job is to let music heal the world by allowing us to understand and find a common place in our hearts.”
1. How did Robert Blocker feel after being appointed as the university’s Dean?| A．Anxious. | B．Thrilled. | C．Terrified. | D．Challenged. |
| A．Teaching leadership skills. | B．Reviving art programs of the school. |
| C．Giving concerts when touring cities in China. | D．Organizing rehearsals for students and teachers. |
| A．To advertise the festival in Shenzhen. | B．To stress Robert’s preference for music. |
| C．To review the hardships during the pandemic. | D．To show Robert’s care about Chinese musicians. |
| A．Spreading music to the whole world. |
| B．Translating music into a common language. |
| C．Helping people to reach an agreement on music. |
| D．Guiding people to know themselves better through music. |
5 . Conventionally butterflies were regarded not as fascinating subjects for close observation but as symbols of shallowness. But Eleanor Granville treated them with scientific seriousness.
In her thirties, though suffering from a marriage where the husband was violent and even turned her family against her, Granville sought comfort by studying moths and butterflies. She travelled around the countryside with local girls, beating bushes to catch falling larvae (幼虫), and recruited her servants as assistants to collect specimens (样本). Because of unusual generosity in paying for a fine specimen, she soon accumulated a substantial collection of butterflies. After bringing larvae home, she meticulously logged their growth, providing some of the earliest detailed accounts of insect life cycles.
However, wandering the countryside with a collecting net was considered weird behavior for anyone back then, let alone a woman, and she was accused of going out dressed like a “gypsy”.
Besides her own extensive research, Granville exchanged letters and butterflies with other collectors. Another enthusiast William Vernon reported that she had owned “the noblest collections of butterflies, all English, which has shamed us”. She sent 100 examples to the Royal Society and also sent James Petiver, England’s most celebrated butterfly expert, boxes of carefully pinned butterflies, including several that had been previously unknown, and notably the one later named the Granville fritillary whose wings carry striking brown and yellow patterns, a species of special concern due to the decline of the total number under the influence of food loss and hotter weather.
Eleanor Granville remains the only British naturalist to have left their name to a native butterfly species. A pioneer in the study of entomology (昆虫学), Cranville helped make it an academic subject. Regretfully, only two moths and a butterfly of Granville’s precious specimens are still preserved in London’s Natural History Museum. Her name lives on the butterflies she loved.
1. What do we know about Granville?| A．She paid generously for every specimen. |
| B．She was accused of deserting her family. |
| C．Studying butterflies provided an escape from her life. |
| D．Working with local girls earned her a good reputation. |
| A．James Petiver greatly influenced Granville. | B．Granville’s efforts shamed the Royal Society. |
| C．The Granville fritillary is an endangered species. | D．Granville’s work was academically recognized. |
| A．By naming butterflies and moths. | B．By studying rare butterfly specimens. |
| C．By offering up her collections for research. | D．By introducing entomology into universities. |
| A．A Battle Against Social Conventions | B．A Woman Who Collected Butterflies |
| C．An Adventurer Trapped in a Woman | D．An Undertaking That Changed History |
6 . Watch actor Sterling K. Brown, and one of the first things you may notice is his eyes.
In a scene from the last season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Brown plays Reggie, a hard-nosed manager. His language is rough, but his eyes reveal something more: He’s feeling guilty and defensive. Or look at his work in NBC’s hit drama series This Is Us, where Brown plays Randall Pearson, a black man adopted by a white family. Again, Brown’s eyes reveal a lot.
Those two performances have allowed Brown to make Emmy Awards history in 2020: He was nominated as best lead actor in a drama series for This Is Us and best supporting actor in a comedy series for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon’s Prime Video.
Grateful as he is for his nominations, Brown also sees the record number of black performers nominated for Emmys—about 34% of the acting nominees in 2020—as a welcome reaction to the Black Lives Matter protests of the summer.
The actor says it’s also part of a long march towards recognition for black performers, held back by oppression in Hollywood back to the early 1900s, when white people wore blackface to play black characters in films.
Brown has made history at awards shows before: In 2018, he became the first black man to win best actor in a drama at both the Golden Globes and the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
With degrees from Stanford University and New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Brown has spent about two decades appearing on TV shows like Lifetime’s Army Wives and his first series regular role, playing a cop on FX’s short-lived 2005 drama Starved.
These days Brown is excited about the new season of This Is Us, which will begin with two episodes addressing both the coronavirus pandemic and the Black Lives Matter protests.
1. Why does the author mention the TV series in Paragraph 2?| A．To indicate that Brown is an excellent actor. |
| B．To support the idea that Brown is an eye actor. |
| C．To show that Brown has played many roles. |
| D．To introduce the main topic of the passage. |
| A．Brown was awarded two acting prizes. | B．Civil rights weren’t recognised. |
| C．More black performers got nominated. | D．Black Lives Matter was the theme. |
| A．Add some background information. | B．List Brown’s acting experiences. |
| C．Introduce a new topic for discussion. | D．Summarise the previous paragraphs. |
| A．Emmy Awards 2020 | B．Fight for Civil Rights |
| C．A Black Emmy Awards Nominee | D．Brown: An Eye Actor |
7 . Born in 1940 in Nyeri, Kenya, Wangari Maathai spent her childhood in the Kenyan countryside and her young adult life in the United States. She studied biology at Mount St. Scholastica College in Kansas, then obtained a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh. After returning to Kenya and pursuing her PhD at the University of Nairobi, Wangari became the first woman in East Africa to receive a doctor’s degree.
In the 1970s Wangari was an active member of the National Council of Women of Kenya. Women came to the council in part to search for solutions to the environmental problems—deforestation and desertification had caused many of the resources women relied on for food and clean water to decrease.
Fuelled by her knowledge of biology and her passion for helping others, Wangari decided to take action. Wangari had two goals in mind: to help restore environmental resources and give women the ability to support their families in a self-sufficient, sustainable way. To achieve her goals, she came up with a practical but impactful idea: to plant trees. The trees would reduce the effects of deforestation, in addition to providing food and firewood for local families. Wangari’s plan inspired the formation of the Green Belt Movement in 1977, an organisation dedicated to environmental conservation and poverty reduction in Kenya.
As the Green Belt Movement grew, Wangari began to focus on several different but interconnected causes: environmental conservation and human rights. In the late 1980s, she called on her community to oppose the construction of a skyscraper (摩天大楼) in Uhuru Park, Nairobi’s central public space. In 1999 she led a protest against the privatisation of Karura Forest in Nairobi, during which Green Belt Movement members were beaten by private guards. Despite facing ongoing opposition and even danger, Wangari’s belief in her work was never shaken.
Wangari served on the boards of countless environmental organisations, and spoke to members of the United Nations. Due to her tireless work Wangari received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.
1. What do we know about Wangari Maathai?| A．She had a hard childhood in Kenya. |
| B．She acquired an excellent education. |
| C．She was the first woman to get a degree. |
| D．She came back to Kenya due to her colour. |
| A．Wangar’s family’s support. |
| B．Wangari’s achievements in biology. |
| C．Wangari’s tree-planting idea. |
| D．Wangari’s desire to fight world poverty. |
| A．Wangari’s efforts to expand her influence. |
| B．Wangari’s ways to fight for human rights. |
| C．Wangar’s strategies to establish a reputation. |
| D．Wangari’s plans to handle growing opposition. |
| A．Honest and hard-working. | B．Patient and unselfish. |
| C．Considerate and generous. | D．Determined and inspiring. |
8 . Brigadier general William Orlando Darby, born in Fort Smith, Arkansas, is best known for his organization of the 1st Ranger Battalion during World War II.
Darby attended Belle Grove School through the sixth grade and then went to Fort Smith Senior High School. After his graduation in 1929, he received an appointment to West Point Military Academy, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science on June. 13,1933. Later Darby was chosen to organize and train military forces, and the 1st United States Army Ranger Battalion was set up on July 9,1942. They carried out a number of successful night attacks.
When Robinson E. Duff, assistant division commander of the l0th Mountain Division, was wounded, Darby volunteered to take the place of him and led the 10th Mountain Division during the advance on Lake Garda. On April 30,1945, he was in the process of outlining plans for the next day when an explosion near his location took place, and he was unfortunately hit dead. He received a promotion to brigadier general on May 15,1945, the only soldier to receive such a promotion after his death.
General Lucian K. Truscott said of Darby following his death. “Never have I seen a more heroic officer.” And General George S. Patton called Darby, “The bravest man I have ever known.”
Darby received many awards, including two Distinguished Service Crosses and the British Distinguished Service Order. Darby’s life is celebrated in many ways. Named after him was the USNS General William O. Darby, a U.S. Army troopship, which is now retired, as well as streets in many places. Cistera, Italy, has a Darby School, and in his hometown of Fort Smith, the sister city to Cistema, the senior high school he attended is now called the William O. Darby Junior High. Many army posts have training or airfields named after him.
Darby was originally buried in a military cemetery (墓地) outside Cisterna, Italy, but on March 11, 1949, his body was returned to Arkansas and buried at the Fort Smith National Cemetery, just few blocks from his boyhood home. In 2016, a statue of Darby was put up in Cisterna Park in Fort Smith.
1. Which of the statements is true about Darby?| A．He was appointed to replace Duff. |
| B．He was killed in an explosion by design. |
| C．He graduated with a Bachelor of Military. |
| D．He wasn’t promoted to brigadier general when alive. |
| A．Generous and humorous. | B．Capable and responsible. |
| C．Admirable but unsociable. | D．Intelligent but discontented. |
| A．To let us learn from Darby. | B．To offer care to Darby. |
| C．To show gratitude to Darby. | D．To think highly of Darby. |
| A．Ways of honoring Darby. |
| B．Benefits of using Darby’s name. |
| C．Contributions Darby made to the army. |
| D．Educational experiences Darby went through. |
9 . Erik Nilsson, an American journalist works at China Daily and a recipient of the Chinese Government Friendship Award, first came to China in 2005 for an internship program in China Daily when he was studying journalism at Central Michigan University. A year later, Nilsson returned to Beijing and joined the newspaper. “I love the food, the culture, the history, and above all, the people. I returned to work in China, and I never left,” he said.
Nilsson’s biggest contribution to China is his devotion to telling its stories. Working for China Daily enables Nilsson to share stories from all over China with Chinese and global audiences alike. His videos, narrated in slow, clear English, are subtitled in English and Mandarin.
Nilsson has coauthored 16 books and won multiple journalism awards, and his videos about China have won nearly 300 million views. As he talks about his “life mission”, it is not pride that stands out, but passion for his work and humility towards the stories he gets to tell.
Because of his outstanding journalistic works and long volunteering work, Nilsson was in 2006 awarded the Chinese Government Friendship Award, the highest honor that can be given to foreigners who have contributed to China’s development. Nilsson, then aged 33, was the youngest ever winner of the award. During the Spring Festival reception in 2017, he delivered a Six-Minute speech on media development. “China is making greater strides toward the center of the global stage. The country has such a unique history, culture, and even geography that I think it’s difficult for many people outside the country to understand,” Nilsson said.
“Many Western readers said that they gained a more balanced and positive understanding of China after reading my articles and books. Many Chinese readers also said they achieved a deeper understanding of their own country. This is what I’m happiest about. There’s an extraordinary value in helping the world better understand China,” he said.
1. Why did Nilsson first come to China?| A．To go on with a business trip. |
| B．To gain some work experience. |
| C．To experience rich life in China. |
| D．To do research on Chinese culture. |
| A．He helps the world understand China better. |
| B．He builds good friendship with the Chinese. |
| C．He sets a good example to Chinese reporters. |
| D．He shares his work passion with the Chinese. |
| A．It was set up in 2006. |
| B．Its youngest winner was Nilsson. |
| C．It was established to speed China’s development. |
| D．Its influence on foreigners has become stronger than before. |
| A．They are kind of unreal to foreign readers. |
| B．They are mainly about the history of China. |
| C．They are beneficial to understand China more. |
| D．They are more popular among Chinese readers. |
10 . Who Was Jane Austen?
Although Jane Austen’s works were first published anonymously(匿名地)and brought her little personal recognition, today they are rarely out of print and have inspired movies, television shows, literary anthologies, and many other adaptations all around the world. Her writings---principally her five novels---mainly deal with the topic of love and marriage. Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Mansfield Park, Emma, and Northhanger Abbey remain her most famous works.
Who Was Chuck Jones?
Charles Martin Chuck Jones was an American animator(动画片绘制者), cartoon artist, screenwriter, producer, and director of many classic animated cartoon shorts. They starred Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, Pepé Le Pew, Porky Pig and a lot of other Warner Brothers characters. When he moved on to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, his work includes a series of Tom and Jerry shorts.
Who Was Lewis!
Lewis Carroll is the pen name of Charles L Dodgson, a mathematician, who taught at Oxford University. He was inspired to write his best known works, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, by one of the Dean’s daughters, Alice Liddell. The books were hugely successful and brought Carre
Who Was Princess Diana?
A shy twenty-year-old girl stepped out of a horse-drawn coach and into the world spotlight(聚光灯), catching the imagination of millions as a real-life fairy-tale princess. Although the storybook marriage didn’t have a happy ending, Diana learned to use her fame as a way to support charitable causes near to her heart. She became the People’s Princess by showing care and concern for all people, including the homeless, the sick, and others in need.
1. Whose works will attract young people who like reading love stories?| A．Chuck Jones’s. | B．Jane Austen’s. | C．Lewis Carroll’s. | D．Princess Diana’s. |
| A．Making films. | B．Telling stories. | C．Writing novels. | D．Painting pictures. |
| A．Smart and creative. | B．Cheerful and outgoing. |
| C．Caring and kind. | D．Serious and hard-working. |
