1 . Fu Lei’s Family Letters is a book of letters written by Chinese translator and writer Fu Lei to his elder son Fu Cong, who is a famous pianist. Between 1954 and 1966, Fu Cong spent a lot of time away from home training as a piano player. As a result, writing letters became Fu Lei’s usual way of communicating with his elder son. Fu Min, Fu Lei’s younger son edited the letters and the book came out in 1981.

The book shows Fu Lei’s family tradition and value. To Fu Lei, the purpose of education of a person, is to make that person useful to the society. Fu Lei praised his son Fu Cong after winning a piano competition. Fu Lei wrote, “We are happy because you make your country proud. I am so excited when I think about your future. You will make great progress and serve more people, encourage them and heal them.”

In the family letters, Fu Cong was also advised to read famous Chinese texts. When reading these books, Fu Cong was told to connect ideas and feelings together, for that would help him become a better person. To Fu Lei, learning to be a good person comes before any academic training.

Fu Lei’s Family Letters has a great impact on people in China because it helps many young students understand how they should live their lives.

1. Who edited Fu Lei’s family letters?

A．Fu Lei.

B．Fu Cong.

C．Fu Min.

D．A translator.

2. What can we learn from Fu Lei’s Family Letters?

A．Fu Lei’s family tradition and value are shown in the book.

B．People in the 1950s communicated with each other by books.

C．It’s difficult for parents to make their children well educated.

D．Praising children after taking part in a competition is important.

3. What did Fu Lei think of Fu Cong’s future?

A．It would be uncertain.

B．It would be hopeful.

C．It would be difficult.

D．It would be interesting.

4. Why was Fu Cong advised to read famous Chinese texts?

A．To be a richer man.

B．To do more academic training.

C．To help more people.

D．To become a better person.

2 . For those of us who grew up watching Star Trek, exploring space has been about discovering strange new worlds. And there are plenty of worlds to explore in time, but we still need major technological advancements to reach planets that are light years away.

What we are doing in space today is providing unbelievable benefits right now, right here on Earth. From space, we can monitor, manage and care for our planet. Satellite-based sensors show us the short- and long-term effects of human activity on our environment. Many companies are using their interest in space to help solve problems here, from using hyperspectral imaging(高光谱成像), which enable us to map vegetation(植被) and rain forests, to microsatellites that provide global connectivity for the network of things.

My company, OneWeb, is focusing on what I believe is one of the world’s most important issues: the need for equal access to the Internet. The Internet has become our economic lifeblood. And yet, nearly half of the world’s population doesn’t have Internet access. Space is playing a key role in bridging this digital divide. OneWeb is launching 1,980 satellites to help bring Internet access to people everywhere, and our first production satellites are already flying in space and have shown very high download speeds.

Fiber and cable Internet access technologies already cover most financially viable(可行的) major cities. Similarly, these regions will also be the first to be served with 5G. Poor communities are the last to get connected, and without connectivity, those communities have no chance to lift themselves from poverty. OneWeb’s satellites will reach every community in the world and enable equal access to the Internet for the world’s less developed places.

Fifty years from the day when man first walked on the moon, we are still only approaching the possible. There will be tens of thousands of new satellites, space stations and factories in the coming years to bring advancements in communications, scientific research, monitoring the earth, exploring space and more. This is exciting, but we must take action carefully.

1. What is the second paragraph mainly about?

A．Benefits space exploration can bring to us.

B．Problems space exploration leads to.

C．Steps of space exploration requires.

D．Equipment space exploration needs.

2. What is OneWeb aiming to do?

A．Increase download speeds.

B．Narrow the gap in Internet learning.

C．Help people set up and maintain a website.

D．Enable people to make use of the Internet equally.

3. What can be inferred from the text?

A．More than six decades ago, man first walked on the moon.

B．More than half of the world’s people have no access to the Internet.

C．OneWeb’s satellites will make it possible for most people to be served with 5G.

D．Without the Internet, poor communities can hardly help themselves out of poverty.

4. What will the writer probably continue to write about in the following paragraph?

A．The risks of furthering space exploration.

B．The value of setting up space stations.

C．The way we could monitor our earth.

D．The features of microsatellites.

3 . I was struggling earlier in the year, even though I’m a(n) _______ person by nature. The entire world seemed to have come to a stop all of a sudden. I was _______ with worry about my family and paying the bills, and whether life would ever be the same again.

Then, one evening I went outside and _______. The sky was dark and the stars were shining so brightly that I almost held my breath. As I stood under that splendid ceiling, I was filled with _______.

I really wanted to find out more about them. Suddenly, I remembered I’d _______ an app on my phone a couple of months earlier, which _______ all the stars and planets. Together with my daughters, I raced to the upstairs, where we had a perfect _______ of the night sky. Using the app, we were excited to _______ that bright white star hanging over the horizon was Venus. Then we looked past Betelguese, a dying red supergiant star 700 times the size of Earth, and many more. _______, the world no longer seemed like an unfamiliar place. It __________ me that the Earth had been around for 4. 5 billion years and had experienced things much more __________. That realization __________ brought my worries into a much broader perspective (眼界).

Plus, that twinkling night sky was just so beautiful — I felt happier and calmer just looking at it. It became our __________ to sit at the window every evening, gazing at the stars. Not only did it help us __________ the reality, but for half an hour each day we got to __________ outside our four walls.

1.

A．optimistic

B．patient

C．independent

D．considerate

2.

A．combined

B．questioned

C．consumed

D．impressed

3.

A．pulled over

B．looked up

C．headed off

D．calmed down

4.

A．wonder

B．pride

C．anxiety

D．guilt

5.

A．designed

B．downloaded

C．advertised

D．tested

6.

A．reflects

B．connects

C．measures

D．identifies

7.

A．view

B．memory

C．record

D．example

8.

A．explain

B．imagine

C．discover

D．indicate

9.

A．By the way

B．At first sight

C．At that moment

D．By all means

10.

A．benefited

B．warned

C．challenged

D．struck

11.

A．informal

B．flexible

C．conventional

D．dramatic

12.

A．constantly

B．instantly

C．secretly

D．randomly

13.

A．regret

B．routine

C．adventure

D．responsibility

14.

A．describe

B．ignore

C．stress

D．face

15.

A．train

B．gather

C．travel

D．recover

4 . If you’re looking for some festive atmosphere, here’s part of the Florida festival calendar.

Kumquat Festival, Dade City, Jan. 27

The downtown in Dade City fills with as many as 35, 000 people for this free event celebrating the tangy little fruit grown locally. Along with dozens of booths and live entertainment, a highlight is enjoying kumquat treats, from kumquat pie, kumquat cookies to kumquat salad.

Sunnyland Boat Festival, Tavares, Mar. 22-24

This antique and classic boat festival is one of the largest classic wood boat shows in the country with as many as 250 to 300 restored ancient boats on display in the water and along one third of a mile of Lake Dora shoreline at Wooton Park in Tavares, which is really a feast to the eye for free.

Siesta Key Sunsculpting Festival, Sarasota, Nov. 10-13

Two dozen professional artists compete in creating sculptures on the gorgeous Siesta Key beach. Those who buy tickets can watch the sculptures take shape, view them under colored lights at night, see demonstrations and take lessons. The party atmosphere includes a tent with ful bar (no ticket required) and a vendor(小贩) village.

Art Basel Miami Beach, Miami Beach, Dec. 8-10

Art Basel, an international art fair, draws top galleries from around the world plus the rich and celebrities to South Florida. A far cry from the street art festivals all over Florida, this is an event that is not cheap-Tickets start at $65. Over the years, however, a variety of satellite events have developed, creating art-related events for regular folks, including Miami Art Week.

1. What can visitors do at the event held in Dade City?

A．Learn sculpturing skills.	B．Taste a special local fruit.
C．Set up a tent of your own.	D．Compete with professionals.

2. What do Siesta Key Sunsculpting Festival and Art Basel Miami Beach have in common?

A．They charge for admission.	B．They take place on the same beach.
C．They are designed for artists.	D．They have generated smaller events.

3. Which festival offers a chance to reflect on the past days?

A．Kumquat Festival.	B．Sunnyland Boat Festival.
C．Art Basel Miami Beach.	D．Siesta Key Sunsculpting Festival.

5 . “Individuals of all ages who have empathy (共情) understand that sometimes telling little white lies can protect other people from getting hurt,” says Barbara Greenberg, a clinical psychologist in Connecticut. “Most people that I have come across tell these little white lies because they understand that 100 percent honesty all the time is not beneficial.” A white lie, she explains, spares people from unnecessary hurt.

At the same time, Dr. Julia Breur, a marriage and family therapist in Florida, emphasizes the importance of paying attention to the way we respond to someone. The fact is that not telling the truth can result in something unpleasant on you; it’s not just about the person the white lie is being told to. For example, she says someone who always tells others that “all is good” when it comes to a sick parent in an effort to avoid discussions about how serious their health issue really is, can eventually face stressful experiences. When that parent eventually passes away, the person who always gave an “all is good” response ends up emotionally broken.

Sometimes, telling white lies often depends on the situation, Dr. Breur says. For example, consider a woman who has not seen her mother for several months. The daughter has gained noticeable weight, yet the mother responds by excitedly declaring that she looks great. “I emphasize during psychotherapy sessions with my patients that context helps define meaning,” Dr. Breur says. “So when we look at the context of a mother saying you look great when she clearly sees that her daughter has gained weight, it can be acceptable. It reflects the intention of the white lie which is kindness, protection and unconditional love. Otherwise, white lies — especially when told to avoid personal accountability — can start a cycle of mistrust between people, ultimately compromising integrity,” she adds.

Therefore, it’s important to ask ourselves when it is and isn’t appropriate to deliver the honest truth, and when it’s best to step back and offer a more delicate response. More often than not, it’s about finding a balance between the two.

1. What can be learned about white lies according to Barbara Greenberg?

A．They are short-lived.	B．They are unidentifiable.
C．They are trouble-making.	D．They are common.

2. What message does Dr. Breur deliver in paragraph 2?

A．White lies can harm both the liars and the listeners.

B．We must respond to our family members truthfully.

C．It’s wrong to tell white lies to a seriously ill parent.

D．The “all is good” response is effective in dealing with patients.

3. What is Dr. Breur’s attitude towards the mother’s practice in paragraph 3?

A．Uncaring.

B．Critical.

C．Supportive.

D．Doubtful.

4. Which of the following is the best title for the text?

A．East or West, White Lies Are the Best

B．Think Twice Before You Tell White Lies

C．White Lies Signify Unconditional Love

D．White Lies Are Empathetic People’s Favorable Choice

6 . Why do children learn so quickly? Is it simply a necessity, or is a child’s brain more capable of taking in new information than an adult’s brain?

“It is a common way of thinking that ‘children are like sponges’ and have the magical ability to learn new skills faster than an adult, but there are some misconceptions here, “ said Debbie Raven, a researcher at the University of Chester. “A child’s cognitive (认知的) development is age-related and, naturally, children perform worse than their older peers in most areas. However, there are times when being young brings an advantage, and this is especially true around their earliest years.

This advantage is largely due to neuroplasticity, meaning the brain’s ability to form and change its connections, pathways and wiring based on experiences. Neuroplasticity is what gives children the capacity to learn-and, if necessary, unlearn-habits, routines, approaches and actions very quickly. This ability is most constant and rapid before a child’s fifth birthday, when much of what they encounter or experience is novel. “This ability to learn quickly is connected to several areas, including plasticity, their experiences with adults, their environment, and their biological drive to explore, “ Raven said. “Childhood is a place where children spend their time catching up with adults’ more sophisticated abilities. “

Language learning, in particular, is an area where children often have a huge advantage over adults. This is largely because “babies are able to tune in to the rhythm and sounds used in their native language, and can therefore become fluent speakers by the age of four. “This ability can help young children learn a second or third language with apparent ease, Raven said.

In a research paper, the authors suggest that “human babies are born seeing and hearing linguistic information that older children and adults miss, although they lose this ability with more experience in their environments. Moreover, babies can “discriminate speech sounds and tones used in al of the world’s languages, making them open to al input, regardless of the linguistic environment they are born into.

1. Why does Raven make the remarks in paragraph 2?

A．To prove a new theory.	B．To share personal experience.
C．To correct a wrong belief.	D．To solve long-held confusion.

2. What’s one feature of “neuroplasticity”?

A．It enables children to break a habit quickly.

B．It accompanies a person all through his life.

C．It is entirely based on a kid’s past experiences.

D．It disappears soon after a child’s fifth birthday.

3. What impacts kids’ quick learning ability according to Raven?

A．Their brain structure.	B．Their habits and routines.
C．Their parents’ experiences.	D．Their inborn desire to explore.

4. What does the author mainly talk about in the last two paragraphs?

A．Why children are talented language learners.

B．What are the proper ways of learning languages.

C．When is the best time to learn foreign languages.

D．How environments can influence language learning.

7 . A few years ago, I asked a neighborhood handyman to build a tree-house in my backyard. In part, this was to solve a problem: my children were good friends with the children who lived beside us and they liked to climb over the fence that separated the two yards. We could have just put a gate into the fence, but I decided that building some kind of climbable structure around the large fir tree in the yard, which also included a staircase into the neighbor’s yard, was a more creative solution to the problem, and I liked the idea that the tree-house would also serve to join the two play spaces together.

The handyman took the task much more seriously than I had expected. He made drawings, built small wooden models, and even held a kind of “visioning” exercise with the children and their parents to make sure that he hadn’t missed any important details. At the end of our lengthy discussions, he asked, “Where would you like me to put the beer rail?”

The question took me aback as I hadn’t really considered the possibility that a nice play structure in my yard might also facilitate beer consumption among the neighborhood children, but I quickly tuned in to the fact that our designer had intuited what should have been obvious to me—the children wouldn’t be the only ones to take advantage of this platform up among the branches of the beautiful old tree. And, indeed, over the years that I lived in that house I discovered that the platform made a pretty good perch (栖息处), not only for the occasional cold beer, but also for sitting and dreaming, reading a book, enjoying a picnic or even getting some writing done. My children enjoyed climbing around in the tree-house, playing tag, setting up imaginary pirate ships and fortresses (城堡), and they also used it for some quiet thinking and even the occasional math homework. The tree seemed to be a particularly good algebra tutor.

1. Why did the author prefer to build a staircase?

A．It would make the tree-house look prettier.

B．It would give better protection to the fence.

C．It would be finished at low cost.

D．It would connect the neighbor’s kids more closely.

2. What did the author think of building a “beer rail” initially?

A．It was out of date.	B．It was unnecessary.
C．It was unaffordable.	D．It was too complicated.

3. What does the underlined word “intuited” in paragraph 3 mean?

A．Misunderstood.

B．Examined.

C．Recognized.

D．Proved.

4. Which can best describe the handyman?

A．Ambitious and persuasive.	B．Strict and kind-hearted.
C．Careful and far-sighted.	D．Humble and generous.

8 . A gene variant (变体) that causes the “alcohol flush (脸红)” reaction increases the risk of heart disease by causing inflammation of blood vessels (脉管), especially in drinkers. Around 8 percent of the world’s populations has a gene variant called ALDH2*2 that impairs the body’s ability to break down alcohol and causes unpleasant symptoms such as flushing soon after people drink. Now, researchers have shown why this change also raises the risk of heart disease.

“We are trying to understand why ALDH2*2 is associated with a higher risk of coronary arte (冠状动脉) disease at a cellular (细胞的) level,” says Hongchao Guo at Stanford University in California.

The ALDH2*2 gene encodes one version of the enzyme (酵素) alcohol dehydrogenase (脱氢酶), which breaks down the toxic acetaldehydes (乙醛) produced when alcohol is metabolized (代谢), and also mops up other harmful substances known as free radicals.

The gene variant also impairs the growth of new blood vessels. “That means that when there is a heart attack, when there is a need of blood vessel growth, carriers have less ability to generate new blood vessels,” says Guo.

The team found that an existing diabetes (糖尿病) drug called empagliflozin may reduce these harmful effects in people with ALDH2*2 who drink a lot of alcohol. But for Wu, the take-home message is clear. “If you’re missing this enzyme, try not to drink,” he says. “If you drink consistently, you are at much higher risk of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes and cancer.”

Given its many negative consequences, there has been debate about why this change spread and became common, today being found in more than a third of people of cast Asian origin.

“My only explanation is that if you are missing this enzyme, you tend to drink less and there’s therefore less chance of you becoming alcoholic,” says Wu.

1. Which of the following may be caused by “alcohol flush”?

A．Heart disease and high blood pressure.	B．A gene variant called ALDH2*2.
C．Inflammation of blood vessels.	D．Diabetes and cancer.

2. Which of the following statement may Wu support?

A．Exiting diabetes drug can help people witALDH2*2.

B．People with ALDH2*2 shouldn’t drink alcohol.

C．People with ALDH2*2 have less chance of becoming alcoholic.

D．Drinking alcohol can bring about diabetes and cancer.

3. What can we learn from the passage?

A．Diabetes drug can free people with ALDH2*2 of alcohol flush.

B．If you are missing this enzyme, you will easily become alcoholic.

C．People with ALDH2*2 tend to suffer from cancer.

D．More than a third of people of cast Asian origin may be affected by ALDH2*2.

4. What’s the purpose of the text?

A．To explain the impact of genetic variant causing the “alcohol flush”.

B．To introduce ways to stop drinking alcohol.

C．To introduce dangers of drinking alcohol.

D．To persuade people to get rid of drinking alcohol.

9 . Vicky Umodu from Colton in California was in the process of moving into her new home. She was in urgent _______ of furniture but couldn’t afford to buy anything _______ or used. So she decided to search online for other options. She was _______ to find a lovely furniture set that was being given away. It looked hardly used. Vicky then contacted the owner of the furniture _______ and was more than blessed to have it.

Once she got it home, she started to _______ the furniture. But she noticed something a little _______ about one of the chairs. The cushion (坐垫) felt uneven. As she inspected the cushion, she _______ what she was feeling was perhaps a hot water bottle under the cushion cover.

But to her _______, she found dozens of envelopes full of money! Instead of keeping it, she right away _______ the money to the owner of the furniture. Much to her surprise, she later learned the furniture ________ the owner’s grandma who passed away last month and the owner had no ________ that his grandma saved money by ________ envelopes of money in furniture.

Vicky’s ________ turned into a double blessing. Not only did she find favorite furniture, but the owner of the furniture also gave her a(n) ________! He gave her extra cash to buy a new fridge. What a valuable ________ she is teaching her children and the world!

1.

A．advance

B．charge

C．favor

D．need

2.

A．flexible

B．real

C．new

D．simple

3.

A．delighted

B．discouraged

C．honored

D．puzzled

4.

A．worriedly

B．slightly

C．immediately

D．secretly

5.

A．assess

B．exchange

C．arrange

D．design

6.

A．horrible

B．strong

C．awesome

D．strange

7.

A．realized

B．recognized

C．assumed

D．believed

8.

A．regret

B．relief

C．joy

D．shock

9.

A．lent

B．returned

C．presented

D．offered

10.

A．belonged to

B．contributed to

C．subscribed to

D．adapted to

11.

A．intention

B．idea

C．business

D．choice

12.

A．distributing

B．showing

C．earning

D．hiding

13.

A．generosity

B．honesty

C．affection

D．confidence

14.

A．reward

B．order

C．promotion

D．certificate

15.

A．fridge

B．gift

C．heart

D．lesson

10 . The Art Institute of Chicago

Visitor Information

Museum Hours

Members: The first hour of every day, 10 a.m. —11 a.m., is reserved for member-only viewing.

Monday—Wednesday Closed

Thursday: 11 a.m.—8 p. m.

Friday—Sunday: 11 a.m.—5 p. m.

●Audio Guide

Audio guides can be rented at the admission counter, audio counter and outside some special exhibitions. The guide is free to visitors with visual or hearing disabilities.

●Journey Maker

With the digital interactive JourneyMaker, you can build custom family guides based on your child’s interests-from superheroes to strange and wild creatures. Start your museum journey in the Family Room of the Ryan Leaning Center, and make your visit to the Art Institute an adventure for the whole family.

●Official Mobile App

Your personal, pocket-sized guide to the collection, this new iOS app features podcast-style audio tours, location-aware technology, access to the digital member card, and so much more. Download it today from the App Store.

●Photography

We encourage you to take pictures of the collection and special exhibitions for personal use. Signs indicate the few works that are not allowed to be photographed due to a lender requirement.

●Phones

You are welcome to use your phone to take pictures, text, and use the museum’s app-anything that does not disturb other visitors. If you need to make a phone call, please do so in a non-gallery space.

●Valet Parking

Art Institute visitors can drop off their cars at the Modern Wing entrance (159 East Monroe Street) and walk right into the museum. The valet service is available daily from 10:30 a. m. until one-half hour after closing.

●Admission

Adult: $ 32

Student: $ 26

Child (aged 13 and under): Free

Help us protect the collection-please do not touch the art.

1. How long at maximum can a visitor stay in the museum per day?

A．1 hour.

B．6 hours.

C．9 hours.

D．10 hours.

2. What can be learned from the Visitor Information?

A．Valet parking is not available after closing.	B．All artworks are encouraged to be pictured.
C．Audio guide is free to every museum visitor.	D．Family guides can be tailored to visitors’ needs.

3. How much would a couple with two children aged 6 and 14 pay for admission?

A．$ 64.

B．$ 90.

C．$ 116.

D．$ 128.