1 . It was a normal morning in March. Sondra Artis had just _______ the last student on her route.

As heading towards the school, Sondra noticed a burning smell. She _______ the bus window to see if it was fogging up from condensation（凝结）or if it was _______ . When a student asked her what was _______ , she did her best to hide her growing _______ .

Sondra pulled into a parking lot and turned to face the 20 students on _______ . She reminded them of the evacuation（疏散） _______ they once performed and directed them to leave through the doors.

“I told the kids that, ‘You know, we _______ at the beginning of the year, but this is going to be _______ , so I need you to be calm,’” said Sondra.

The students hurried to the ________ as smoke began to fill the bus. They were ________ , but Sondra remained calm. When they were out, she went back onto the bus to make sure everyone left ________ .

Seconds after they all ________ , the bus caught fire. Another bus came to the ________ to take the children away, and Sondra was left ________ that everything worked out okay.

The bus can be ________ , but human life cannot. The parents were incredibly ________ for her grace under fire. She's being considered as a ________ , and many of her students would like to see her ________ for her heroism.

“Sondra is a very good bus driver，”said a student. “She ________ a reward.”

1.

A．sent away

B．turned down

C．seen off

D．picked up

2.

A．repaired

B．wiped

C．tapped

D．opened

3.

A．steam

B．smoke

C．fog

D．dust

4.

A．wrong

B．lucky

C．necessary

D．urgent

5.

A．anger

B．curiosity

C．embarrassment

D．worry

6.

A．duty

B．guard

C．board

D．vacation

7.

A．advantages

B．drills

C．signals

D．secrets

8.

A．met

B．separated

C．promised

D．practiced

9.

A．early

B．amazing

C．real

D．new

10.

A．exits

B．teacher

C．windows

D．lifesaver

11.

A．excited

B．tired

C．scared

D．optimistic

12.

A．hurriedly

B．safely

C．firstly

D．actively

13.

A．hid

B．landed

C．sat

D．escaped

14.

A．scene

B．school

C．park

D．destination

15.

A．searching

B．studying

C．thanking

D．counting

16.

A．replaced

B．exchanged

C．burnt

D．controlled

17.

A．eager

B．famous

C．grateful

D．qualified

18.

A．student

B．leader

C．driver

D．hero

19.

A．rewarded

B．excused

C．apologized

D．forgiven

20.

A．offers

B．deserves

C．demands

D．establishes

2 . 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 . Golden Generation

A national team, mostly consisting of teenagers, pushed China to its biggest-ever medal achievement at the Winter Olympics. At the same time, a series of breakthroughs at the Games _________ the country’s emergence as a much more well-rounded force on the ice and snow.

_________ the heroics of teenage sensation Gu Ailing and seasoned aerials(空中技巧滑雪)masters Xu Mengtao and Qi Guangpu, China _________ four gold to top the freestyle skiing medal standings for the first time after its Winter Olympic debut in 1980.

Gu Ailing also became the first athlete _________, and the youngest _________, to win three medals(golds in Big Air, halfpipe and silver in slopestyle)in three different freeski _________ at the Olympics, throwing her to international super-star reputation as the _________ of Beijing 2022.

Needless to say, another teenager star, Su Yiming, also became a _________   name by winning China’s first snowboarding gold medal in Big Air after claiming a silver in slopestyle. Su’s _________ helped the host finish a highest-ever third on the Games’ overall medal standings, ____________ nine gold, four silver and two bronze-its biggest-ever medal achievement at the Winter Games. China’s ____________ best was a tally of 11, including five gold, at the 2010 Games in Vancouver.

“The ____________ of the new generation on the Olympic stage, even seeing the emergence of teenagers, ____________ a great future for winter sports in our country,” said Li Yang, manager of China’s Big Air, slopestyle and halfpipe national programs.

“With winter sports becoming popular in our country amid the fast social and ____________ development, I believe more and more young people will ____________ skis and snowboards to enjoy the sport, just as young as Su and Gu did when they were little, which will ____________ expand the talent pool for our future national programs,”Li said.

The Beijing Winter Games also ____________ the first time that China’s snow sports teams outperformed the country’s traditionally strong ice sports squads in the medal numbers, securing investment in high-performance training programs and ____________ the foundation for even better results at the next Winter Games in Italy.

“____________ we keep the tendency going, I believe we will ____________ a stronger performance in four years' time at the next Olympics in 2026,” said Yang Yang, China’s first Winter Olympic gold medalist, in women’s short-track speed skating at the 2002 Games.

1.

A．specializes

B．signals

C．swallows

D．subscribes

2.

A．Thanks to

B．In addition to

C．Regardless of

D．In terms of

3.

A．confirmed

B．concludes

C．clarifies

D．claimed

4.

A．in detail

B．in history

C．by nature

D．with pride

5.

A．ever

B．never

C．already

D．yet

6.

A．incidents

B．events

C．affairs

D．issues

7.

A．access

B．start

C．face

D．popularity

8.

A．civilization

B．teenage

C．household

D．education

9.

A．performance

B．knowledge

C．concept

D．ambition

10.

A．on

B．at

C．of

D．with

11.

A．typical

B．fortunate

C．relevant

D．previous

12.

A．rise

B．profession

C．convention

D．explosion

13.

A．accounts

B．represents

C．estimates

D．recommends

14.

A．agricultural

B．historical

C．economic

D．natural

15.

A．hold up

B．break up

C．get up

D．pick up

16.

A．deeply

B．greatly

C．thoroughly

D．countlessly

17.

A．signed

B．allowed

C．followed

D．marked

18.

A．lying

B．shaking

C．laying

D．rocking

19.

A．As long as

B．If only

C．As far as

D．In that

20.

A．focus

B．impress

C．witness

D．observe

7 . 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.

8 . 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

9 . 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.

10 . Alvin, 66, was deep in the woods in Grand Cane last December when something like litter on the ground caught his eye. It was a _______ balloon with a note attached.

“Dear Santa,” the note _______. “My name is Luna. Four years old. This year I have been _______. I would like candy, Spider-Man ball, My Little Pony. With love, Luna.”

Alvin’s heart hammered in his chest. It reminded him of his childhood wish. He smiled and set out to _______ Luna’s wish. He posted a photo of the balloon and the Christmas wish list on his Facebook page, asking for help _______ the sender.

Meanwhile, Gonzalez, the mother of four-year old Luna, had no idea that such a(n) _______ was underway. It had been a hard year for her family as COVID-19 spread. On a _______ tough day last December, she _______ the idea of having Luna send a letter to Santa by releasing a balloon. They enjoyed a _______ Christmas together, and then the calendar turned to a new year.

One day, Gonzalez received a call saying that someone had found Luna’s balloon. Her jaw ________. She logged on to Facebook and saw Alvin’s ________. She called Alvin and finally agreed to let Alvin fulfill her daughter’s wish list.

“Santa dropped your balloon ________,” Gonzalez told Luna, “but one of his elves (精灵) found it.” Not long after that, Luna received three boxes’ worth of ________with a note signed “Alvin the Elf.”

Now, having received so much ________, Gonzalez and her girl intend to pay it forward this year. After all, when Alvin could have just ________ that balloon in the trash, he went more than the extra mile.

1.

A．beautiful

B．broken

C．precious

D．blown

2.

A．printed

B．wrote

C．typed

D．read

3.

A．nice

B．difficult

C．demanding

D．smart

4.

A．fulfill

B．spread

C．make

D．express

5.

A．entertaining

B．uniting

C．reporting

D．locating

6.

A．preparation

B．effort

C．research

D．game

7.

A．temporarily

B．relatively

C．particularly

D．naturally

8.

A．came up with

B．argued about

C．put up with

D．jumped at

9.

A．healthy

B．green

C．modest

D．grand

10.

A．burst

B．cracked

C．broke

D．dropped

11.

A．post

B．letter

C．name

D．photo

12.

A．in time

B．after all

C．by accident

D．on purpose

13.

A．candies

B．gifts

C．toys

D．books

14.

A．attention

B．admiration

C．popularity

D．generosity

15.

A．adopted

B．stored

C．thrown

D．dragged