1 . Most Famous Paintings in the World

Among the millions of paintings that are created and shown in galleries and museums all around the world, a very small number of them go beyond time and make history. Below are some examples.

The Persistence of Memory — Salvador Dali. Painted in 1931, The Persistence of Memory is one of the most recognizable pieces in art history. This work is known to make people reflect on their way of life and the way they spend their time, and it is also thought that Albert Einstein’s well-known Theory of Relativity gave Dali the idea for this wonderful painting.

Girl with a Pearl Earring — Johannes Vermeer. Considered by many to be “the Dutch Mona Lisa”, this beautiful painting features an unnamed young woman looking over her shoulder to stare directly at the viewer. It was completed in 1665 and is exhibited in the Mauritshuis in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Guernica — Pablo Picasso. The famous painting by Picasso was completed in 1937. It was painted in Paris following the bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The painting is on permanent display in the Museo Reina Sofia, Madrid, Spain.

Starry Night — Vincent van Gogh. Painted in 1889, Starry Night is one of the most famous paintings in modern culture, which is part of the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It is based on van Gogh’s direct observations as well as his imagination, memories, and emotions and was the inspiration for the song Vincent (also known as Starry, Starry Night).

1. What do we know about The Persistence of Memory?

A．It was finished in the 1920s.	B．It centers on people’s lifestyle.
C．It reflects the painter’s memories.	D．It may be inspired by a famous theory.

2. Which painting is based on a true story?

A．The Persistence of Memory.	B．Starry Night.
C．Girl with a Pearl Earring.	D．Guernica.

3. What is the common feature of the listed paintings?

A．They are everlasting artworks.	B．They share the similar theme.
C．They are on permanent display.	D．They give ideas for music creation.

3 . 阅读下面材料，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

With the International Conference on Food Loss and Waste closed on Saturday in Jinan, Shandong Province, the country has sent a signal to     1     world that China will deal with issues concerning food security by reducing loss and waste in agriculture. With the theme of reducing food loss and food waste and promoting     2     (globe) food security, the three-day event     3     (hold) both online and offline attracted more than 300 participants.

The current world grain production is about 2.8 billion tons a year. Therefore, the loss of only one percentage     4     (be) equal to the loss of 28 million tons of food. This can feed about 70 million people.

In recent years, China     5     (make) great progress in controlling loss and waste in food, with main efforts including upgrading facilities and     6     (equip). In Shandong Province, China’s major grain producer, the Sinograin (中粮集团) grain storage site is equipped with 4,500 high-definition cameras and 280,000 temperature sensors     7     (ensure) that the stock (储备) is in the best condition. Data shows that during China’s 13th Five-Year Plan period (2016-2020) , about 13 million tons of food had been saved     8     (year) after production.

We cannot end hunger     9     we do not deal with the high levels of food loss and waste. Cooperation and innovations (创新) in business models, technologies and digital solutions could all contribute     10     reducing food loss and waste.

4 . When Lennon had just moved to Los Angeles, she met Carla. The two young women ________ they had something in common: Both were ________ with life after loss. Lennon’s mother died of lung cancer three years ago and Carla had just ________ her father.

Lennon also met a few others of her age who were grieving (悲伤). She invited them all over for ________. It was a night of ________, expressing themselves to each other and healing. Each guest left with the belief that they weren’t alone to feel ________.

After many meals, Lennon and Carla ________ The Dinner Party. It’s a nonprofit organization offering ________ and care to those who have ________ deep loss by hosting dinner parties. Since then, it has helped bring together over 13,000 people to have meals and ________ their grief.

Lennon learned that there’s almost no ________ of death and grief among young adults like her just because few have experienced such loss, making those who have feel ________. She found that people are more likely to put down their ________ and connect over a shared meal. That’s where their ________ starts.

Every month, people can check out a list of open ________ on The Dinner Party website. The description of each table includes a(n) ________ for the host, as well as themes they’re ho-ping to ________. So far, the organization has grown by almost 3,000 members. “One trend we’ve seen in this is that people need platforms to ________ they weren’t okay,” Lennon says. ________, the COVID-19 put a temporary end to dinner parties. “But it was not a(n) ________ to grief. So I hope the parties will continue.”

1.

A．discovered

B．explained

C．announced

D．guessed

2.

A．quarreling

B．agreeing

C．exchanging

D．struggling

3.

A．forgotten

B．cured

C．lost

D．met

4.

A．meeting

B．dinner

C．breakfast

D．activity

5.

A．conversation

B．sleep

C．memory

D．laughter

6.

A．energetic

B．stupid

C．sensitive

D．sad

7.

A．missed

B．designed

C．founded

D．imagined

8.

A．curiosity

B．puzzle

C．surprise

D．comfort

9.

A．gone through

B．taken over

C．pulled down

D．cheered up

10.

A．hide

B．share

C．record

D．abandon

11.

A．routine

B．choice

C．preference

D．discussion

12.

A．respected

B．separated

C．suspected

D．cheated

13.

A．conflict

B．ambition

C．guard

D．principle

14.

A．applying

B．healing

C．working

D．delaying

15.

A．buildings

B．windows

C．tables

D．doors

16.

A．introduction

B．involvement

C．preparation

D．judgement

17.

A．remove

B．stress

C．challenge

D．explore

18.

A．decide

B．admit

C．suppose

D．mean

19.

A．Unfortunately

B．Eventually

C．Strangely

D．Naturally

20.

A．doubt

B．encourage

C．end

D．sign

5 . New methods have allowed researchers and scientists to find a way to reduce heat loss from buildings by about 30%. This new “green” solution is quite literally (确实地) green as it involves fitting a living wall by sticking soil and plants onto the walls, according to a new research.

To see what effects renewing a living wall on an existing building would have on the environment, the scientists decided to test it out on a building at a university in the UK, which was originally built in the 1970s. As a control, part of the building was not fitted with the living wall. Both of the parts of the building were west-facing and the test was conducted over 5 weeks. They found that the part with the living wall lost 31.4% less heat as compared to the side without it. So it took less energy to heat and had environmentally friendly effects.

In the UK, approximately 57% of buildings were built before 1964. They have caused 17% of greenhouse emissions (排放), about 60% of which come from house heating. If people could reduce heat loss from older buildings by 30%, a huge part of greenhouse emissions could be eliminated. While regulations have changed recently to improve the thermal performance (热性能) of new constructions, it is the existing buildings that require the most energy to heat and are a significant contributor to carbon emissions. It is, therefore, essential that people begin to improve the thermal performance of these existing buildings if the UK is to reach its target of net (净) zero carbon emission by 2050, and help to reduce the possibility of fuel poverty.

The new research suggests living walls can also provide significant energy savings to help reduce the carbon footprint of existing buildings. Perfecting these living wall systems, however, is now needed to help increase the environmental benefits.

1. What did the researchers find about the living wall in the test?

A．It protected the building very well.

B．It caused serious waste of some fuels.

C．It reduced the heat loss of the building.

D．It made the building look more beautiful.

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

A．Repeated.

B．Removed.

C．Defeated.

D．Renewed.

3. What measure should the UK take to reduce carbon emission?

A．Pulling down the older buildings.

B．Cutting down the prices of fuels.

C．Reducing heat loss from the older buildings.

D．Adding more living walls to new buildings.

4. Which of the following can best describe the living wall?

A．Promising.

B．Doubtful.

C．Expensive.

D．Impracticable.

6 . It is no accident that many films and shows open with a crazy, action-packed scene that drives viewers to ask: “What’s going on here, who are these people and what do they want?” These scenes are designed to keep us watching.

A scientist who explores climate history by analyzing stalagmites(石笋) held a lecture. At the beginning of her talk, she showed a photo of herself crawling through a cave to collect samples. The audience immediately perked up. Starting with that image, we couldn’t wait to ask why this scientist was crawling around in a dangerous cave, which might have attracted the audience more strongly from the beginning.

However, this particular storytelling technique is perhaps the most appropriate in presentations; research papers typically demand more straightforward reporting of results in the form of a clear abstract. When scientists describe their research to audiences outside their professional field, they often avoid discussing personal trials and sufferings. Instead, they focus only on positive, published results. No one wants to look like a failure, even if such experiences can be vastly valuable. But hiding the hardships might cut out some of your best story material. The research process lends itself perfectly to this narrative concept(叙事概念); it can be described as a winding road of plot twists that reshapes the lives of scientists and our understanding of the world. Invite others to join you for the ups and downs of your research. Instead of just presenting your findings, describe how you reacted to those discoveries. What was the most exciting? How did you get wrong? As Emma Coats, a former Pixar storyboard artist, noted in a list of storytelling principles she posted on Twitter: “You admire a character for trying more than for their successes.”

Try to apply screenwriting strategies to your presentation. After all, as the character Tyrion Lannister states in the television series Game of Thrones, “There’s nothing in the world more powerful than a good story.”

1. What is the common feature of a film and a lecture mentioned in the first two paragraphs?

A．They start with a story.

B．They both focus on technical details.

C．They reflect the same background.

D．They both arouse audiences’ curiosity.

2. Which can best replace the underlined words "perked up" in paragraph 2?

A．Became active.	B．Got shocked.
C．Became embarrassed.	D．Got lost.

3. How do the researchers typically present their findings?

A．By using a storytelling technique.

B．By outlining the results in brief.

C．By describing their report in detail.

D．By focusing only on valuable experiences.

4. What is this text mainly about?

A．The power of a good story.	B．The advice on research papers.
C．The techniques to attract audience.	D．The storytelling technique in presentations.

7 . China has announced that couples will be permitted to have up to three children in a major policy shift from the existing two-child limit, after recent data showed a dramatic decline in births in the world's most populated country.

"To actively respond to the ageing of the population…a couple can have three children," state media Xinhua reported on Monday, citing a committee meeting hosted by President Xi Jinping

Early this May, China reported the slowest population growth since the early 1960s, despite scrapping its one-child policy in 2015 to encourage more births and avoid a potential population crisis.

A once-a-decade survey showed that the overall population of China grew to 1,41178 billion in the 10 years to 2020, up by 5. 38%. The increase reflects an average annual rise of 0.53%, down from 0.57% reported from 2000 to 2010.

The announcement drew a chilly response on Chinese social media, where many people said they could not afford to have even one or two children. "I am willing to have three children if you give me 5 million yuan (£554,350)," one user posted on Weibo. As a matter of fact, experiment of the three-child policy in Heilongjiang province in the last few years also resulted less effectively than expected.

It is not only China that is facing such a population challenge. Across east Asia, authorities have, for years, been struggling to persuade couples to have more babies. South Korea and Japan both have used allowance to encourage.

The policy change will come with "supportive measures, which will be beneficial to improving our country's population structure, fulfilling the country's strategy of actively coping with an ageing population and maintaining the advantage of human resources", Xinhua said. It did not specify the support measures.

1. Why did China announce the three-child limit this May?

A．To completely stop the population from ageing.	B．To show concern over the ageing population.
C．To increase the birth rate of the country.	D．To remove the two-child limit.

2. What's the meaning of the underlined word scrapping in para 3?

A．Issuing.

B．Changing.

C．Adopting.

D．Canceling

3. What can we infer from para 4 to para 6?

A．China has a smaller population in 2020 than in 2010.

B．Many couples can't afford to raise two or more children.

C．Hei Longjiang has the smallest population among the provinces.

D．Korea and Japan have managed to cope with ageing population.

4. Where is this text most probably from?

A．A book review.

B．An online newspaper

C．A travel brochure.

D．A biology textbook.

8 . Jerry was born on October 14, 1966. Shortly after birth, he was discovered to have a heart defect (缺陷) and quickly had an operation to save his life. Although he always thought his childhood to be “normal”, there were quite a few things that made him a little different. He couldn’t do heavy farm work like his brothers and his classmates called him “grape juice” because his lips would turn purple in gym class.

After another operation, Jerry went on to live a very full life. He studied in a technical school and met his love after graduation. They married in 1989, and in 1993, the first light of Jerry’s life was born.

Growing up with Jerry as my dad was the greatest blessing of my life. He was always full of life and light, making anyone around smile. He never wanted to draw attention to his medical condition. Even many of his close friends and co-workers were unaware of his heart problem. To all of us he was just a normal guy — that was just the way he wanted it.

I didn’t know or understand my father was sick until he was placed a pacemaker (心脏起搏器). Despite several times of unconsciousness, and 19 days’ stay in ICU, he managed to celebrate Christmas with us and even work as usual. With his wide laugh, I soon adjusted to a “new normal” father. The progress and life, as we now know, came to a grinding halt one night after he came down with a cold.

He was picked up by a helicopter. The nurse said my dad was in good spirits throughout the trip, cracking jokes and making her laugh. When he was unloaded, his eyes rolled back and was unresponsive. The man who loved his life and family was gone.

My dad taught me many lessons. But probably the most important one was in his death. I know as I celebrate his incredible life, he will be looking down on me with smile.

1. What’s paragraph 1 mainly about?

A．Jerry’s family and friends.	B．Jerry’s first operation.
C．Jerry’s birth and childhood.	D．Jerry’s love for life.

2. What is “the first light” of Jerry’s life?

A．His graduation.	B．His marriage.
C．His brother.	D．His child.

3. What does the underlined phrase “a grinding halt” in paragraph 4 mean?

A．A sudden stop.	B．A turning point.
C．A bright stage.	D．A quick recovery.

4. Which of the following could be the best title for the text?

A．Smile at Death	B．Silent Love from Father
C．Grow up Against Heart Defect	D．A “Normal” Father with a Big Heart

10 . When asked what his father did for a living, Mike explained to his kindergarten teacher that “he steals things, but it’s OK, because he gets paid to do it. ”

He isn’t wrong. His father is a hacker(黑客), who is proud of his job, just like doctors are proud of the work they do. Thanks to security researchers’ hacking practices, leaks in a new version of the most common Wi-Fi code standard(WPA3)were found before criminals could use them to break into home and business networks. In another case, criminals found an unknown weakness in Google’s Android operating systems before security researchers did, giving the bad guys full control of more than a dozen phone models.

However, finding Mike’s father’s personalized plates for his car with the word ‘HACKING’, an employee of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles quickly took them away, claiming that a license plate displaying “HACKING” publicized criminal activity. While this reaction really isn’t the fault of the well-intentioned employee, it’s a sign of how a deeply rooted misrepresentation of his profession has created a fixed wrong image. It seems that the way that hackers are described in Hollywood has contributed to the word ‘hacker’ paralleling ‘criminal’, where hackers are often referred to as figures in dark rooms engaged in illegal activity while tapping at keyboards.

But actually, hacking is just an activity. What separates any activity from a crime is, very often, permission. People are free to drive, but they do not have permission to drive 150 miles per hour, which is a criminal offense. Since a driver is just a driver, why must a hacker be a criminal? Someone who engages in the illegal use of hacking should not be called a ‘bad hacker’ but a ‘cybercriminal’. Contrary to popular belief, most hackers like Mike’s father undoubtedly play an important role in keeping companies and people safe.

1. What did Mike’s son think of Mike’s job?

A．Admirable.

B．Amazing.

C．Acceptable.

D．Annoying.

2. What does the second paragraph mainly talk about concerning the hackers’ job?

A．Its weakness.

B．Its importance.

C．Its variety

D．Its security.

3. Why does the writer mention ‘Hollywood’ in paragraph 3?

A．To entertain the renders.	B．To question the employee’s claim.
C．To clarify the concept of hacking.	D．To trace the wrong image of hackers.

4. What message does the author really want to convey in the text?

A．Hacking mostly counts.	B．Hacking is actually a crime.
C．Hacking is popular with people.	D．Hacking needs licenses.